The Northern Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Aliyu Mohammed, has urged young people to take an active role in the fight against corruption by reporting corrupt practices to the appropriate authorities for investigation and prosecution.
According to him, the youth are among the groups most affected by corruption, as it continues to limit access to quality education, employment opportunities and essential social services.
He noted that Ghana loses huge sums of money through corrupt practices — resources that could otherwise be invested in improving living standards and accelerating national development.
Mr Mohammed further explained that corruption not only weakens the economy but also undermines public confidence in state institutions.
He made the remarks during a civic education club engagement and symposium organised at the Tamale School of Hygiene.
The programme, organised by the NCCE under the Participation, Accountability, and Integrity for a Resilient Democracy (PAIReD) project, aimed to educate students on the dangers of corruption and encourage them to become actively involved in combating the menace.
Funded by the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) and the European Union (EU), the initiative also allowed students to elect executives for the school’s civic education club to serve for one academic year.
Speaking on the role of the youth in tackling corruption, Mr Mohammed encouraged students to remain vigilant, courageous and proactive in exposing corrupt activities in their communities and institutions.
He stressed that the fight against corruption must be a collective effort involving every sector of society.
According to him, citizens have a crucial role to play in promoting transparency and accountability by making use of existing reporting channels to expose corrupt practices.
He also urged civil society organisations, the media and community leaders to actively support anti-corruption initiatives aimed at protecting the country’s future.
Meanwhile, an investigator at the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Abdul-Wahab Abdul-Wasiu, called for the strict enforcement of anti-corruption laws without political or external interference.
He emphasised the importance of adequately resourcing enforcement institutions, noting that the success of anti-corruption efforts depends heavily on logistics, equipment and financial support.
“We must support enforcement institutions with the necessary equipment and funding to enable them to effectively fight corruption,” he said.