Tema-Ghana, Sept. 28, – According to the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC), women and girls are disproportionately harmed by corruption because they constitute the majority of the poor.
“Women must therefore form a critical constituency to fight against corruption, as the canker is exacerbating existing inequalities as a result of lopsided power dynamics,” said Mrs. Beauty Emefa Narteh, GACC Executive Secretary.
Mrs. Narteh was speaking at the Tema Ghana News Agency Industrial News Hub Dialogue, which was held on the topic “Thirty Years Under the Fourth Republic: Is the Fight Against Corruption a Mirage or a Reality?”
She described corruption as a complicated and multifaceted phenomenon that undermined the fundamental values of democracy and the rule of law.
She stated that corrupt activities disproportionately affect women, emphasising that women’s typical lack of political and economic leverage limits their ability to demand responsibility.
Mrs. Nartey stated that in order for women to effectively contribute to the battle against corruption, a discussion between the actors dedicated to fighting corruption and gender equality was required.
According to Mrs. Nartey, it also delayed development and hampered the implementation of human rights, particularly those of the vulnerable, such as women and girls.
According to the GACC Executive Secretary, although accounting for more than half of the country’s population, women were the least engaged in talks about corruption, one of the most important concerns in development and social justice.
She stated that because women made up the bulk of the poor, they were harmed by the corruption cycle for the disadvantaged, noting that poor women relied more on public services, where corruption affected quality and access to services.
She advocated for a society in which women could freely express their concerns.
Mrs. Nartey stated that women must be empowered in order to effect the desired change in the fight against corruption.
She also urged Ghanaians to assist the battle against corruption, particularly in the economy’s construction sector.
She pointed out that “the amount of money involved in construction projects is huge, and there is, therefore, a high risk of corruption, to the extent that the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) estimates that about 150 million dollars are lost through corruption in Africa alone.”
Mrs. Nartey urged stakeholders to collaborate in order to sustain the fight against corruption, while also directing them to form alliances with construction experts and industry professionals and asking government officials and civil society partners to allow access to information, which was critical in combating corruption.
