Tema-Ghana, Nov. 7, MNN – The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has charged the media to upscale its support for the fight against corruption in the country.
The commission and other state institutions with mandates to fight corruption need the consistent support of the media to educate the public on the devastating effect of corruption on Ghanaians directly and indirectly.
Ms Fatimata Mahami, Tema CHRAJ Regional Director stated this during the 17th edition of the Ghana News Agency-Tema Regional Office’s monthly Stakeholders’ Engagement when speaking on the topic: “Is the Fight Against Corruption in Ghana, A Mirage or Reality, the Perspective of CHRAJ”.
The monthly engagement also serves as a motivational mechanism to recognize the editorial contribution of reporters towards national development in general and the growth and promotion of the Tema GNA as the industrial news hub.
Ms Mahami enumerated some of the effects of corruption as the high cost of doing business as people have to part away with envelopes before their documents receive the needed endorsement among others.
Other effects she said were poor health care delivery as monies meant for the provision of the needed logistics and equipment ended up being misapplied or embezzled, frustration, and lack of fairness in school admissions or employment.
Ms Mahami explaining the process of CHRAJ investigations said that the Commission does meticulous examinations into corruption cases it receives stressing that due to the nature of the investigations they carry out a deeper analysis of the cases of corruption allegations.
“In case of corruption allegation, CHRAJ ensures that all stones are turned and unturned, all the links are traced and all people connected are interrogated before we conclude which sometimes appears to the public as protracted or delaying,” she said.
She said as a commission we have to uncover and follow every detailed piece of information, check and check again every piece of evidence provided before we can recommend which erroneously fuels the public perception that the Commission often delays in releasing its findings.
Ms. Mahami added that investigators had to exhaust all possible factors in establishing the truth or otherwise of a case.
She indicated that sometimes the delay was not even from their end as it took a longer period for the needed information from some institutions and individuals whose response might be needed in a particular case.
She also urged the public to inform CHRAJ of any corruption-related issue they might have witnessed or heard of for the needed action.
Mr. Francis Ameyibor, Tema Regional Manager of the Ghana News Agency said the media was progressively moving away from only setting the agenda to ensuring that the agenda it sets were properly handled and the required results yielded.
He added that it was in that light that the GNA-Tema Regional Office initiated the Stakeholders’ Engagement monthly to ensure that those in the governance architecture are provided a media platform to address specific national issues.
Mr. Ameyibor said corruption was destroying not only Ghana but many more developing countries but sometimes corrupt officials clandestinely clothe it with terminologies and with political colours to make it more appealing, therefore the need to involve everyone in its fights as it affects everyone.
