The consortium, comprising the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition GACC and SEND-GHANA, is implementing a four year USAID funded project, “Accounting Democratic Institutions and Systems Strengthening (ADISS) in 50 districts across the country.

The purpose is aimed at renewing and building upon on-going efforts and to also increase the capacities of anti-corruption CSOs to motivate citizens to apply pressure on policy makers and institutions through targeted and focused actions to reduce corruption.

Mr Joseph Makido Azam, the Advocacy and Legal Advice Centre (ALAC) project officer, indicated that corruption in Ghana had become a serious concern, which needed to be combated in all spheres.

Mr Azam emphasized that the centre focuses on combating corruption and provide support and legal advice to victims, witnesses of corruption and whistleblowers, to help them hold people accountable for their actions as well as guarantee protection for whistleblowers.

He said corruption was on the increase in Ghana because citizens do not report issues of corruption, which was affecting the fight against it, and that the fight would be very effective if citizens were fully involved.

Mr Iddrusu Ibrahim Biyuomah, the West Mamprusi Director of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), said the whistleblowers’ Act 2006 Law has provided room for incentives for whistleblowers who reported issues of corruption.

Mr Ibrahim emphasized that the role of citizens against corruption was to resist corruption themselves and report individuals and organizations involved in corruption to the elders; the chief, MP, DCE, Pastors and Imams for justice.

Mr Issahaku Abdallah Iddrisu, West Mamprusi Director of the National Commission For Civic Education (NCCE), said the manifestation of corruption in the form of bribery, facilitation payment, nepotism, conflict of interest and many others must be stopped in the country for peace and development.