Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, convened a pivotal meeting with heads of Ghana’s key accountability institutions, constituting the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice , Narcotics Control Commission, National Intelligence Bureau, Economic and Organized Crimes Office, Office of the Special Prosecutor , Attorney General and Ministry of Justice, emphasizing the critical need for a collaborative and unified approach to combat corruption and foster accountability across the nation.
The gathering underscored a commitment to bolster collective efforts and demonstrate joint action against corrupt practices with a significant focus of the meeting being the National Integrity Awards Scheme, a flagship initiative introduced by Speaker Bagbin. This scheme aims to promote ethical conduct among public officeholders and cultivate good governance, transparency, and accountability within the country.
“The lack of coordination and collaboration among key accountability institutions has diminished the potential for institutionalizing the culture of transparency and accountability in public life,” Speaker Bagbin stated. “This platform is the antidote to that fragmentation. And I am here because I believe this platform holds the power to transform how accountability is perceived in this country. And I want Parliament to be fully part of that transformation.”
Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, formally announced the National Integrity Award Scheme initiative, emphasizing Parliament’s pivotal role in promoting integrity and sustaining good governance.
” As you may recall, I made a formal statement on the floor of Parliament on 29 March 2025 that a National Integrity Award Scheme is being established. And that Parliament, as the arm of government, a watchdog, lawmaker, representative institution, and protector of the public peace, is best placed to lead the struggle to promote integrity in the country and to sustain good governance.”
The Speaker highlighted the institution’s commitment to this endeavor, stating that Parliament, as a “watchdog, lawmaker, representative institution, and protector of the public peace,” is ideally positioned to lead the fight for integrity in the country. He noted that the scheme had been previously announced in a formal statement on the floor of Parliament on March 29, 2025.
This initiative comes “in that spirit of partnership and national renewal,” as Bagbin underscored the importance of collaborative efforts among key accountability institutions. The National Integrity Award Scheme aims to recognize and promote ethical conduct among public officeholders, fostering a culture of transparency and accountability in public life.
In his address, Speaker Bagbin hinted at upcoming legislative measures, including lifestyle audit legislation designed to curb the lavish display of questionable wealth. Additionally, he proposed the institution of “vulture awards” to publicly expose and shame individuals deemed “the most perverse and morally bankrupt” in public life.
In a call for synergy from the accountability institutions, Dr. Joseph Whittal, Commissioner for the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and Convenor for the Key Accountability Institutions, echoed the Speaker’s call for unity. He stressed that a unified approach by all stakeholders is the only way to achieve significant strides in eradicating corruption from public offices.
“Ghana is a fast-developing nation with a growing population,” Dr. Whittal observed. “Citizens have become increasingly aware of the seriousness of corruption in the country and, rightly so, increasingly demanding concrete solutions. They expect results, they expect accountability, and certainly they expect us to work together.”
He further outlined the necessity for collaboration,
“Meeting these expectations requires that, one, we collaborate and not compete, two, we share knowledge and not isolate our efforts, and three, we work as a unified system committed to the public good.”
The meeting marks a renewed push by Parliament and key accountability bodies to strengthen governance and tackle corruption head-on in Ghana.
Story By: Eugenia Ewoenam Osei
