The Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the national fight against corruption as Ghana joined the world to commemorate the 2025 International Anti-Corruption Day. Addressing the occasion in Accra, the Executive Secretary of GACC, Mrs. Beauty Emefa Narteh, stressed that corruption remains one of the biggest threats to Ghana’s development, social justice, and democratic growth.
She noted that every act of corruption drains public resources, weakens institutions, widens inequality, and erodes the trust citizens place in leadership. “Every cedi lost is a missed opportunity for better schools, improved healthcare, stronger infrastructure, and decent jobs,” she said, adding that the youth carry the heaviest burden when systems fail.
This year’s theme, “Uniting with Youth Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow’s Integrity,” aligns strongly with GACC’s long-standing efforts to empower young people with the values of accountability and integrity. Mrs. Narteh highlighted the impact of GACC’s youth-centered engagements in 2024—an election year—where the coalition reached approximately 50,000 young people through programmes conducted in tertiary institutions, senior high schools, faith-based organisations, youth groups, and community networks across 34 districts in 14 regions.
Backed by a nationwide social media campaign, these initiatives deepened discussions on electoral integrity, vote-buying, and other election-related corruption issues.
Building on this momentum, GACC is scaling up its activities in 2025. The coalition will expand engagements to 87 districts across all 16 regions, focusing on educating young people about the dangers of corruption, promoting whistleblowing, and fostering active citizenship. A renewed digital campaign will amplify youth voices and extend the anti-corruption message across social media platforms.
Mrs. Narteh acknowledged the support of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and the GIZ EU-funded PAIReD Programme for enabling the expanded outreach.
She emphasized that investing in young people is critical to Ghana’s future. “When young people understand corruption and are equipped to challenge it, they become powerful agents of change,” she stated. She called on parents, educators, faith leaders, public institutions, and civil society to continue guiding young people as they push for a more transparent and accountable society.
Her message to the youth was firm and inspiring: “Do not be silent in the face of wrongdoing. Commit to the 3Rs of fighting corruption—Resist, Reject, and Report. You are not only the leaders of tomorrow, but also the defenders of integrity today.”
