Year: 2023

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Thursday launched the evaluation of Ghana’s maiden National Anti-Corrup­tion Action Plan (NACAP), urging stakeholders and citizens to unite and support the fight against graft.

He stressed that anti-corruption initiatives in the country required the collaborative efforts of the public, private, and civil society sectors to guarantee good governance, transparency, and accountability.

NACAP is a ten-year strategic plan adopted in 2012 as part of a coordinated policy document for combating corruption in the country.

The plan is structured around four thematic areas including building capacity to condemn and fight corruption and make it a high risk and low gain activity, institutionalising efficiency, accountability and transparency in the public, private and not for profit sectors, engaging individuals, media, and civil society organisations in reporting and combating corruption and conducting effective investigations and prosecution of corrupt conduct.

The Plan had
135 broad activities for implementation by stakeholders towards the realisation of the 4 strategic objectives.

The evaluation report, which will inform the second phase of the plan, is expected to be completed in June 2024.

President Akufo-Addo noted that though the state held the primary responsibility to implement robust anti-corruption measures, the fight against graft cannot be solely won by the government but by the united efforts of all sectors of society.

He stated that corruption knew no limits and that its negative repercussions are seen across society, not only the public sector, adding that the raft of measures instituted by his government to ensure that the institutions of state relevant to the anti-corruption agenda are properly equipped to discharge their mandate reflected his resolve to fight corruption to the hilt.

President Akufo-Addo emphasised that after almost ten years of implementing NACAP, there was a need to understand how the action plan had contributed to reducing corruption in G
hana.

This would enable the necessary adjustments to policies and institutional arrangements based on the evaluation results.

The President said the evaluation exercise was important to assess the contribution of NACAP to the fight against corruption in all spheres and to form the basis of developing the next Plan for the period 2025 to 2034.

He underscored the significance of the exercise, given the enormity of the work of reviewing anti-corruption actions and methods, and urged all stakeholders to support the effort.

‘Fighting corruption is a shared responsibility. This is why we must all see the evaluation of the maiden NACAP and the development of NACAPII as the responsibility of all stakeholders in this nation, citizens and non-citizens alike.’

The NACAP will be evaluated by a team of experts. The team is led by the Statistical Service and supported by international evaluators from the UNODC to gauge the exercise with global best practices to guarantee credibility.

The President was optimistic that
a high-quality evaluation of NACAP would be conducted using a wide range of information sources with several appropriate methods and tools

He said the evaluation results would promote accountability and integrity.

‘I urge all stakeholders to give the exercise the priority it deserves to ensure a successful evaluation…Let us embrace it as a beneficial learning tool rather than a threatening scrutiny,’ he said.

Mr. Emmanuel Adumua-Bossman, Deputy Chief of Staff at the Presidency and Chairman of the NACAP High-Level Implementation Committee, stated that the Plan, which had been in place since 2009, would concretize the plethora of anti-corruption measures that the country has worked to achieve to ensure resilience against corruption.

He stated that the NACAP, which requires a complete examination, required stakeholders to commit to delivering a comprehensive, reliable, and feasible action plan by the end of the process in June 2024.

‘Our goal is to ensure that at the end of this evaluation, Ghana would be r
eady to implement NACAP II and thereby consolidate our gains made under the current dispensation,’ he said.

Mr Richard Quayson, Deputy Commissioner, Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice and Vice Chairman of the NACAP High-level Implementation Committee told the gathering that the programme had played a pivotal role in strengthening Ghana’s commitment to the ideals of transparency, accountability, and integrity over the past 9 years.

He said corruption was still a major threat to sustainable development because it continued to undermine good governance and the rule of law, eroded public confidence in the merit rewards system, fostered public sector incompetence and ineptitude, promoted poor inefficient service delivery, and perpetuated poverty and underdevelopment.

‘We, in Ghana, are familiar with the devastating effects of corruption, hence the Mission of NACAP to mobilise the efforts and resources of all stakeholders to prevent and combat corruption,’

‘The importance of National Action P
lans, especially those focused on anti-corruption, cannot be overemphasised. For us in Ghana, the development and implementation of NACAP since 2015 has been a collective endeavour. From government agencies to civil society, from the private sector to everyday citizens, it has indeed been a ‘United Ghana Against Corruption,’ he said.

Mr Quayson said though the evaluation of the NACAP would lay the foundation for the development of a NACAP II, ‘we must see NACAP II as not just a continuation, but an opportunity to consolidate the gains and commitment we have made in the fight against corruption.’

‘It is an opportunity to refine our approaches, address emerging threats, and engage a broader spectrum of stakeholders to ensure inclusivity and effectiveness,’ he said.

Mr Quayson urged all stakeholders to actively participate in the exercise to ensure that NACAP II reflects the aspirations and needs of all Ghanaians.

‘If we approach the evaluation of NACAP with a commitment to continuous improvement, together,
we will pave the way for a more transformative NACAP II that repositions our People for nation building,’ he said.
Source: Ghana News Agency

The Western Regional Command of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has launched an anti-bush fire campaign to deepen citizens’ awareness on measures to protect forest reserves from undesired fires.

Launched on the theme: ’60 years of existence, fire prevention key to sustaining our natural resource and food security’, the campaign sought to remind members of the public on their responsibilities in ensuring forests were free from fire destruction, especially during the dry season.

Assistant Chief Fire Officer I (ACFO I) Frederick Ohemeng, Western Regional Commander of the GNFS, speaking during the launch at Odaakotoameso, a suburb of Asankrangwa in the Wassa Amenfi West Municipality of the Western Region, said the effects of bush fires could be devastating on livelihoods, natural resources, aquatic habitat, crop yield and the agricultural ecosystem.

In that regard, he said there was the need to devise strategies to increase citizens’ awareness on how best to tackle the issue through various campaign pl
atforms to help preserve the forest reserves.

However, ACFO I Ohemeng said illegal mining activities popularly known as ‘galamsey’ threatened possible bush fire fighting, saying ‘A worrying concern is the illegal mining in water bodies which serve as reservoirs for continuous water supply during bush fire fighting have all turned muddy’.

He, therefore, called for a collective efforts of all stakeholders to take firm actions against those involved in the menace to help protect water pollution and its associated impacts.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer (DCFO) James Owusu Adjei, Director of Rural Fires, said in 1983 Ghana recorded the worst ever bush fires where about 50 per cent of forest and vegetation were destroyed.

According to him, to mitigate future reoccurrence of bushfires and its impacts on livelihoods and the economy, it was imperative to deepen public sensitization on bush fires and preventive measures.

‘Bush fire prevention is a collective responsibility of everyone and I am certain that we can maint
ain a bush fire-free environment to protect our investments, food security, jobs and government flagship programmes,’ he added.

Nana Kwesi Boah ll, Divisional Chief Asankran Odaa, expressed appreciation to GNFS for launching the campaign in his area, and pledged his commitment to ensure a bush fire-free environment in his jurisdiction.

As part of anti-bush fire campaign launch, 112 fire volunteers were outdoored to assist the GNFS to prevent bush fire and manage possible outbreaks at the community level.
Source: Ghana News Agency

The Principal of GHS Oku, Motika Emmanuel, has been in Amba capacity for more than a week.

He was kidnapped on his way to distribute Report Cards to students, after the end of first term.

CNA is reliably informed that he has paid FCFA 1.5 million out of the FCFA 6.5 demanded as ransom for his release.

Motika was later forced to write a message on his Facebook page requesting the Manager is his account at BAPCUL in Bamenda, North West region, to loan him FCFA 5 million so he can complete the ransom.

He described the situation as ‘life threatening’ and further pleaded on the Manager to disburse the money to his wife.

No group fighting in the restive region has claimed responsibility.

But the kidnappers said they had banned school in the area and see Motika’s presence as violation of their order.
Source: Cameroon News Agency

The Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL) is committed to realizing its vision of positioning Ghana as the Preferred Aviation Hub and Leader in Airport Business in West Africa.

A statement copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra said the expression of commitment followed President Akufo-Addo’s appointment of Mrs. Yvonne Nana Afriyie Opare asthe Managing Director for Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) with effect from December 24, 2023.

The appointment followed the retirement of Mrs. Pamela Djamson-Tettey on the 23 of December 2023.

The statement said the Board had been directed to facilitate the exit of the underlisted Management staff, who had attained the statutory retirement age of 60 years.

They are Me Emmanuel Akotoa Fanko Group Executive, Procurement; Col. (Rtd) Emmanuel Akohene Mensah; Director, Aviation Security and Mr Yaw Appiah-Danquah; Director, Airports Planning and Projects.
Source: Ghana News Agency