Government is ramping up its anti-corruption agenda with the announcement of a bold new reform package and the commitment to develop a second National Anti-Corruption Action Plan (NACAP II), following the conclusion of the first 10-year plan this year.
The renewed drive was announced during the launch of the final independent evaluation report of NACAP I (2015–2024), where the Deputy Chief of Staff at the Office of the President, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, pledged firm political backing for the next phase of reforms.
The plan was originally initiated in 2010 by then Vice-President John Dramani Mahama and implemented as a decade-long strategy to address systemic corruption across government, business, and civil society.
Government is now preparing to roll out a successor strategy amid worsening public perceptions of corruption and mounting calls for accountability.
Ghana’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI), published by Transparency International, has remained stagnant at 43 points in 2022 and 2023, and slid slightly to 42 in 2024, reflecting growing public disillusionment.
“The government is fully committed to satisfying international anti-corruption obligations, especially under the United Nations Convention Against Corruption,” Ms. Bampoe Addo said. She added that NACAP II would draw on successful case studies from countries like the Dominican Republic, Indonesia, and Zambia, which have each seen modest CPI improvements through institutional reforms, digitization, and open contracting systems.
Central to government’s new plan is the launch of “Operation Recover-All-Loot,” a government-backed initiative designed to investigate and retrieve misappropriated state resources.
According to a preliminary report by the ORAL Committee, some US$20.49 billion in taxpayer funds were lost through alleged financial scandals under the previous administration.
The scandals include the controversial US$58 million National Cathedral project, the US$222.7 million Bank of Ghana headquarters, and a US$4.5 billion ghost name payroll scandal at the National Service Scheme.
The committee also cited underpriced sales of public lands across various regions as a significant source of public loss.
To address these gaps, the government is proposing far-reaching legal and institutional reforms.
These include legislation to prohibit politically exposed persons and public officials from purchasing state assets, the establishment of a State Assets Registry, and a forensic audit into high-profile scandals such as the National Cathedral project.
A new Conduct of Public Officers Bill will also be introduced, along with the creation of a special anti-corruption court and an Independent Value for Money Office to scrutinize public procurements above US$5 million.
“These measures are not just promises,” Ms. Bampoe Addo said. “They are clearly laid out in the NDC’s Resetting Ghana Manifesto and represent a firm national resolve to tackle corruption head-on.”
Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Dr. Joseph Whittal, reflected on the mixed outcomes of the strategy’s first decade.
“The fundamental objective of any anti-corruption strategy is to reduce if not eradicate corruption,” he said. “Have we done that? Have we met the expectations of Ghanaians and the international community? These are the tough questions this evaluation must answer.”
Dr. Whittal highlighted the central role of CHRAJ and implementing partners like the Ghana Integrity Initiative (Transparency International Ghana), the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition and the Private Enterprise Foundation.
He emphasized that NACAP was designed as a cross-sectoral national movement, not just a government-led effort.
The evaluation report for NACAP I, dated September 2024, found that while the plan introduced structure and coordination in the anti-graft fight, the overall impact was limited. Persistent challenges included weak enforcement, institutional overlaps, and a lack of sustained public education.
In response, the government is initiating consultations with the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), and has appointed Professor Francis Dodoo as the Presidential Advisor for the National Anti-Corruption Programme to steer NACAP II development.
Drawing inspiration from abroad, Ghana’s upcoming plan will emphasize the use of digital tools and data transparency.
Examples cited included the Dominican Republic’s early warning procurement system, Indonesia’s successful anti-corruption commission, and Zambia’s national policy that institutionalized integrity units and public service codes of ethics.
“Ghana can also do it,” Bampoe Addo emphasized. “With strong political will, robust institutions, and citizen participation, we can build a more accountable and transparent society.”
As NACAP II takes shape, government officials are calling for the active involvement of civil society, the private sector, and the general public in what they describe as a shared national responsibility.
