The Government of Ghana has inaugurated a working group to develop a new National Anti-Corruption Strategy, with a strong charge to deliver bold reforms aimed at reversing the country’s declining performance in the fight against corruption.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony in Accra, Chief of Staff Julius Debrah congratulated the members of the group on their appointment and reminded them of the critical responsibility entrusted to them.

He noted that this next strategy comes at a pivotal moment in Ghana’s anti-corruption journey, and under the renewed leadership of President John Dramani Mahama.

Mr. Debrah recalled that Ghana’s first National Anti-Corruption Action Plan (NACAP), passed in 2014 during President Mahama’s previous administration, helped raise awareness about corruption, encouraged whistleblowing, and drove the digitisation of key public services, including ports and financial systems.

The period also saw an increase in operational activities from agencies like CHRAJ, the Office of the Special Prosecutor, and EOCO in investigations and asset recovery.

However, he admitted that despite these strides, Ghana’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI) score had dropped from a high of 48% in 2014 to a record low of 42% in 2024, the final year of the NACAP’s implementation.

“One could argue that NACAP has not performed too well when it comes to the actual reduction of corruption in our country. The evidence is out there for all Ghanaians to see,” he said.

“We have to reverse this trend, and I charge this group to ensure that the strategy does precisely that.”

The Chief of Staff emphasised that ethics and moral integrity must be central pillars in the new strategy.

He urged the team to depart from past assumptions and deliver a framework that delivers measurable and sustainable outcomes, describing the effort as a “shock therapy” for Ghana’s anti-corruption drive.

The strategy, which is expected to be delivered in draft form by August 31, 2025, will be coordinated by the Office of the Presidential Advisor on the National Anti-Corruption Programme (PANACP), in collaboration with the Chief of Staff’s office and principal partners such as the Attorney- General’s office, the OSP, and CHRAJ.

Mr. Debrah assured the team of the government’s support, promising resource allocation despite the country’s ongoing fiscal challenges.

However, he called for prudence and accountability from the team in managing resources.

He also expressed gratitude to CHRAJ for its decade-long leadership in coordinating Ghana’s anti-corruption agenda, pledging continued collaboration to promote human rights and administrative justice.

“We have confidence in the technical expertise of the team that has been assembled,” he  said.

“We expect your fullest commitment to the cause,”he concluded

The formation of the working group marks the beginning of the second phase of Ghana’s national fight against corruption, with the government pledging a more robust, technology-driven, and ethical approach to tackling the canker.