Ghana maintains scores in Corruption Perception Index

• Posted on January 23, 2020January 23, 2020
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Ghana since 2018 has scored the same points, 41 out of a possible 100, according to the latest Corruption Perception Index (CPI) report released by Transparency International.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, Ghana tied with West African counterpart Benin on 10th, a statement from the local chapter of the organisation, Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), has said. 

The country performed better than 37 other Sub-Saharan African countries including Burkina Faso 40, Lesotho 40, Ethiopia 37, Gambia 37, and Tanzania 37.

In 2019, while Ghana performed better than Burkina Faso and Lesotho, Ghana could not catch up with countries like South Africa, Senegal, São Tomé and Príncipe, etc. that scored better than Ghana in 2018.

The CPI for 2019 released worldwide on Thursday scores and ranks 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption.

The CPI 2019 draws on 13 surveys and expert assessments to measure public sector corruption giving each country a score from (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean).

CPI 2019 focuses on political integrity and highlights the relationship between politics, money and corruption.

By political integrity TI means the quality of (a) contesting and exercising power (political/public office) consistently acting in the public interest, and (b)providing equal, open and meaningful access to the affected stakeholders before arriving at decisions.

“Frustration with government corruption and lack of trust in institutions speak to a need for greater political integrity,” said Delia Ferreira Rubio, Chair of TransparencyInternational.

“Governments must urgently address the corrupting role of big money in political party financing and the undue influence it exerts on our political systems,” he added. 

There were other recommendations on what Akufo-Addo government needs to do to address the canker.  

According to GII, “government must take a critical look at elements that promote public sector corruption including patronage, clientelism, nepotism and suspiciously close ties between politics and business.”

It also wants government to enforce sanctions against vote-buying, abuse of incumbency and threats to voters in order to ensure the 2020 elections are held in a fair and transparent environment.