Mr Ali Adolf John, the Northern Regional Minister, has called on stakeholders to actively support the formulation of the Ghana National Ethics and Anti-Corruption Action Plan (NEACAP 2026-2030).

He stressed that the government alone cannot win the fight against corruption.
Speaking at a regional stakeholder engagement in Tamale on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, Mr John said corruption continued to undermine democracy, erode public trust, and hinder sustainable development.

He described corruption as "a canker that devastates society and retards collective efforts towards growth."
"The time has come for a deliberate policy initiative, not only for retribution, but also for ethical orientation towards higher moral standards," he stated, urging participants to contribute experiences and solutions to enrich the final framework.

The engagement, organised by the National Anti-Corruption Programme at the Office of the President in collaboration with the Northern Regional Coordinating Council (NRCC), brought together civil society organisations, security services, academia, the clergy, youth groups, and state institutions.
Mr John explained that the President had constituted a working group of government agencies, Civil Society, the judiciary, and subject experts to steer the process of developing the new framework.

He added that NEACAP 2026-2030 would align with global standards such as the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) and focus on prevention, education, institutional strengthening, enforcement, and policy reform.

He described the plan as "not merely a document, but a commitment to the people of Ghana to uphold transparency, accountability, and integrity."
Mrs. Beauty Emefa Nartey, Executive Director of the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC), also addressed the forum, warning that corruption in Ghana had become "normalised" due to gaps in the implementation of the first National Anti- Corruption Action Plan (NACAP I: 2015-2024).

"We can all agree that corruption continues to be a big problem for Ghana. In fact, we are at the point that we can clearly say that corruption has been normalised in Ghana, which was not the intention of the NACAP 1 document," she said.

She explained that a new working group had been set up to design NEACAP 2026-2030, drawing on lessons from NACAP I to close implementation gaps, particularly at the local and district levels, and among marginalised groups, to ensure stronger ownership, accountability, and sustainability.

Mrs Nartey stressed that the new plan would place greater emphasis on ethics, noting that attitudes and behaviours strongly influence the fight against corruption.
She said public servants who demonstrate integrity must be recognised and rewarded to encourage positive conduct, while offenders should continue to face sanctions.

"We have a lot of public servants who are doing their best for this country, but nobody is recognising them. We will bring attention to the good behaviours and reward them to complement the fight, before we also look at how we are going to punish those who dare to commit crimes," she explained.
She emphasised that contributions from participants would help shape the NEACAP 2026-2030 framework, which seeks to be more efficient, adequately resourced, and properly monitored.
The five-year plan, when finalised, is expected to serve as Ghana's principal framework for fighting corruption and promoting ethics in both public and private sectors.