On 6th December 2021, the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and partners, under the auspices of the Office of the President, will launch the 2021 Anti-Corruption and Transparency (ACT) Week under the theme, “Building a Culture of Integrity for Generations”.
The significance of this event and theme cannot be overemphasized. Low levels of integrity have been identified as a major cause of corruption in Ghana as well as the increasing indiscipline and lawlessness in our country. Therefore, as recognised globally, addressing corruption in society must necessarily be linked to the promotion of integrity.
We all encounter situations in our everyday lives that challenge our integrity, that is, “doing what is right no matter who is watching”, such as jumping a queue or red traffic light or using one’s position to give someone an undue advantage over others. This is partly why the National Anti-Corruption Action Plan (NACAP), adopted in 2014 as the national policy document for addressing corruption in Ghana, requires that we “institute a National Cultural Review Programme” and implement the “Schools Integrity Project” as part of measures to address the challenges with our value systems, mindset, attitudes and the totality of our way of life.
Though NACAP is in its seventh year of implementation, this very critical component of the national effort at tackling the foundational issues of corruption is yet to be implemented. Thus, during the 2021 ACT Week, we will take advantage of the remaining three years of the planned period of the NACAP ending 2024 to institute the National Cultural Review Programme and a Schools Integrity Project.
“Building a culture of Integrity for Generations” aims at raising people of integrity not only for the current generation of leaders and working population, but for students, children and future generations. It is designed to galvanise all stakeholders to act on corruption in our society in a bid to make the fight against corruption less abstract to Ghanaians and help the average Ghanaian personalize the fight against corruption and develop personal integrity.
The launch of the ACT Week would be followed by a series of events culminating in a High Level Conference on Friday, 10th December 2021 to mark two important days of international significance: the International Anti-Corruption Day (IACD) and the International Human Rights Day (IHRD). The commemoration of the two International Days on 10th December underscores the direct correlation between the enjoyment of fundamental human rights and freedoms and the fight against corruption.
The theme for this year’s IHRD is “Equality: Reducing Inequality-Advancing Human Rights”, whilst that for the IACD is “Your Right, Your Role: Say No to Corruption”. These two themes fit perfectly into the theme for the ACT Week and the Conference, as efforts at reducing corruption would translate into reduction in inequality and advance the enjoyment of fundamental human rights. Participants will be drawn from the public, private and civil society organisations including chiefs and faith-based organisations.
The Special Guest of Honour for the Conference, the President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, will deliver the keynote address for the Conference, launch the National Cultural Review Programme and the Schools Integrity Project, and symbolically pass over the Integrity Torch to kick start the Programme for Building a Culture of Integrity for Generations.
Line up of activities for the ACT Week are as follows:
- Monday, December 6: The Official Launch of the ACT Week and Public
Engagement with Key Accountability Institutions
- Tuesday, December 7: Commemoration of 20th Anniversary of the Ghana
Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC)
- Thursday, December 9: GII Integrity Awards
- Friday, December 10: High Level National Conference to commemorate
IACD and IHRD
Highlights of these activities will be coordinated and circulated extensively by Penplusbytes on social and traditional media platforms. The Week and High-Level National Conference are expected to make critical contributions to national effort at tackling one of the foundational issues of corruption, integrity