Local Accountability Network (LANet) in collaboration with National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) with support Ghana Anti-corruption Coalition Campaign (GACC)

The Kintampo South Local Accountability Network (LANet) in collaboration with National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) with support Ghana Anti-corruption Coalition Campaign (GACC), has joined students in some selected basic schools and Artisans within Kintampo Municipal and Kintampo south districts to commemorate this year’s Africa Union Anti-Corruption Day (AUACD).

Under theme “Equipping the young people with knowledge about corruption, the importance of whistleblowing”. Mr. Godwin AgyarkoGyasi (Focal Person of the Local network) stressed that the day which falls on the 11th day of July each year was instituted by the Africa Union in 2003 by the adoption of the Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption (AUCPCC).

He stated at separate durbars that the objective of the day is to call for a sober reflection on the collective commitment of every citizen especially the young people in the fight against corruption addition that 48 countries including Ghana have ratified the convention and gone further to put in place measures to tackle corruption.

Mr. Godwin then encouraged the students and Dressmakers to be active whistleblowers by resisting, rejecting and reporting acts of corruption to the security agencies, traditional authorities and school authorities.

On his part, the programme officer at the Kintampo Municipal office of the NCCE Mr. Osumanu Alhassan took turns to educate the participantson the basic concepts of corruption and reporting avenues, types of corruption; bribery, fraud, embezzlement, favoritism, extortion, etc and why corruption should be a matter of concern to the youth. He said that corruption affects everyone, it limits access to resources or opportunities to those who can afford to pay, it increases poverty and inequality in society and affects development since it leads to limited access to healthcare, quality education and others.

Touching on the importance of the whistleblower’s Act 2006 (Act 720) and the Witness Protection Act 2018 (Act 975). He remined the studentsthat anyone can blow the whistle including the youth and students and proclaimed that the Act provides confidentiality to the whistleblower andalso has a reward package of 10% of any recovery amount to the person who blew the whistle for the recovery of such public funds.

He reiterated the need for the students and the youth to speak up when they see something wrong; “see something say something” and cautioned them to use social media wisely and educate others to also speak upwhiles holding duty bearer accountable.

GODWIN AGYARKO GYASI (FOCAL PERSON)-0545590244