The Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, has urged members of the newly inaugurated working group on Ghana’s next anti-corruption strategy to develop a bold and effective plan that will deliver measurable results in the fight against corruption.
Chief of Staff Julius Debrah has underscored the government’s determination to reverse Ghana’s declining performance in the fight against corruption, urging the newly inaugurated working group tasked with developing the country’s next National Anti-Corruption Strategy to deliver a plan that produces meaningful results.
Speaking during the inauguration ceremony at the presidency on July 3, 2025, Mr. Debrah congratulated the members on their appointment and reminded them of the country’s previous efforts under the National Anti-Corruption Action Plan (NACAP), which was passed in Parliament in 2014 under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama.
“Destiny has, once again, bestowed on him the responsibility of shepherding the development of the second national anti-corruption strategy,” he noted.
He highlighted several achievements chalked under the NACAP, including increased public awareness about corruption and reporting mechanisms, the accelerated digitisation of financial systems, and the establishment of the Financial Stability Council, making Ghana the second country in sub-Saharan Africa after Mauritius to set up such a body.
The Chief of Staff also cited progress in reducing sexual harassment and sextortion through workplace-safe reporting systems, and the implementation of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing guidelines for financial institutions.
During NACAP’s implementation period, he said, key anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies such as CHRAJ, the Office of the Special Prosecutor, and EOCO increased their operational activities in investigations, prosecutions, and asset recovery.
Despite these gains, Mr. Debrah admitted that Ghana’s performance on the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) had declined, dropping from its best score of 48% in 2014 to an all-time low of 42% in the last year of NACAP.
“Clearly, one could argue that NACAP has not performed too well when it comes to the actual reduction of corruption in our country and I am sure the evidence is out there for all Ghanaians to see. We have to reverse this trend and I charge this group to ensure that the strategy does precisely that. This is consistent with the promise that H.E. the President made to Ghanaians,” he said.
He stressed that accountability and anti-corruption remain key pillars of President Mahama’s administration and called for innovative measures to tackle the increasingly complex nature of corruption.
“The complexities of corruption that confront us today equally requires a sophisticated approach to combating it. This requires the application of technology, outside-the-box thinking, effective legislation, independent anti-corruption institutions, a strong political will and a focused leadership to be able to uproot this canker from our society,” he explained.
Mr. Debrah indicated that the next strategy should depart from some of the assumptions and mechanisms of the previous NACAP to achieve “meaningful, sustainable results within the shortest possible time,” adding that ethics must be central to the new plan.
“Ethics must be a key pillar in the development of the next National Anti-corruption Strategy because corruption is first and foremost a morale issue before legal. The strategy therefore ought to provide a shock therapy to the anti-corruption space to set the anti-corruption fight to a beating, impactful rhythm,” he stressed.
He announced that the National Anti-Corruption Strategy will be coordinated from the Office of the Presidential Advisor, National Anti-Corruption Programme (PANACP), working closely with the Deputy Chief of Staff (Administration), to enable the President to track its implementation.
The office will collaborate with key partners, including the Attorney General, the OSP, and CHRAJ.
Mr. Debrah expressed appreciation to CHRAJ for its role in coordinating the country’s anti-corruption efforts over the past decade and assured the institution of the Presidency’s continued support in promoting human rights and administrative justice.
He expressed confidence in the newly appointed team, urging them to commit fully to their assignment and deliver an initial draft of the new National Anti-Corruption Strategy by August 31, 2025.
“We therefore expect nothing less than your fullest commitment to the cause, so as to deliver an initial draft of the next National Anti-corruption Strategy by the 31st of August, 2025. I can assure you that Government will make the necessary arrangements to provide resources for the team to deliver on its mandate. However, we also expect prudence from the team as you are all aware of the current financial difficulty facing the country,” he said.
