“You already have the various anti-corruption institutions in place that has made Ghana the shining example on the continent, what is needed now is that big push to enable the country maintain that standard it has set up for itself,” she stated.

Madam Diakhate made these remarks when she led a seven-mem­ber delegation of the board to pay a courtesy call on the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin in Accra yesterday.

The week-long visit, sought to review Ghana’s implementation of the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corrup­tion.

The board is expected to engage with anti-graft institutions including the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and civil society organisations (CSOs) to exchange ideas and experi­ences, as well as assess the coun­try’s challenge in implementing the convention in order to chart the way forward towards curbing corruption.

Member states on July 11, 2003 adopted the AU convention on pre­venting and combating corruption at the second ordinary session of the assembly in Maputo, Mozambique, to deal with corruption related mat­ters in Africa.

Madam Diakhate indicated that the team was in the country to assess what had been done in achieving such targets, share experiences as well as make recommendations to improve on what has been achieved so far in terms of fighting graft.

She expressed optimism that the Board’s recommendations after re­viewing Ghana’s performance would aid the nation in strengthening her anti-graft institutions and combating corruption head-on

Mr Bagbin, in his welcome remarks, said Ghana, over the years, had exhibited immense commitment towards rooting out corruption through the passage of various leg­islations and setting up of anti-graft institutions.

He said, for instance, in 2001, the country adopted a Zero tolerance against Corruption policy, and sub­sequently passed laws including the Anti-Money Laundering Act, Whistle Blowers Act, Witness Protection Act and recently the Rights to Informa­tion Act to aid the crusade against corruption in the country.

The Speaker stated that the estab­lishment of anti-graft institutions such as the Serious Fraud Office, which was upgraded to the Eco­nomic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) and Office of the Special Prosecutor would all enhance gover­nance mechanisms against corrup­tion in Ghana with parliament being at the forefront of the crusade.

He said, for instance, Parliament had passed a code of conduct and guidelines for members and staff, revised its standing orders and estab­lished a department of anti-corrup­tion within its governance structures.

Mr Bagbin said Parliament has also set up the privileges commit­tee, the ethics and standards office and office of profits to improve governance and accountability in its operations and, therefore, expected every Member of Parliament to live above reproach and be a shinning ex­ample to others in society, Mr Bagbin stated.

The parliament of Ghana, he said, had also instituted the Citizens Bureau that provided a platform for the citizens and CSOs to petition the legislative body on issues of national interest for the necessary investiga­tions and action to be taken.

Mr Bagbin said, for instance, through the due diligence of the Parliament’s Public Accounts Com­mittee in 2024, it was able to save the nation over GH¢273 million and provided 252 recommendations to improve accountability in state agencies.

Mr Bagbin gave the assurance that Parliament of Ghana would continue to play a leading role in promoting and exposing corruption and ensur­ing integrity amongst Ghanaians to engender growth and prosperity