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Bawumia: We’ve digitalised corruption fight
The Akufo-Addo government remains very committed to the fight against corruption and will continue to provide the necessary support and logistics to the crime prevention, detection and prosecution agencies,
The Akufo-Addo government remains very committed to the fight against corruption and will continue to provide the necessary support and logistics to the crime prevention, detection and prosecution agencies, Vice President Bawumia has assured.
Speaking at the 2nd Annual District Auditors’ Conference on Monday, 12 December 2022, Dr Bawumia said since assuming office in 2017, the Akufo-Addo government has made a sustained and aggressive push in the fight against corruption by enacting laws, tightening existing ones, and introducing greater digitalisation in governance and the use of public funds while increasing resources allocated to the fight.
“On assuming office, corruption was prevalent in many areas such as the DVLA, where one had to pay a bribe to ‘goro boys’ in order to get a driver’s licence; same thing at the Passport Office; Customs and other officers were having a field day at the ports; it was difficult renewing ones NHIS, and for some reason, dockets kept getting ‘missing’ at the courts”.
“There was inadequate funding for anti-corruption agencies; the Right to Information Law had not been passed; there was no legal backing for a beneficial assets register and no law on Witness Protection”.
“But since 2017, we have taken a number of far-reaching steps in the fight against corruption, including the implementation of a digitisation agenda to disrupt corruption in the public sector”.
“We have also passed a number of key laws, including the Witness Protection Act, 2018 (Act 959), the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2018 (Act 959), the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2019 (Act 989), and the Companies Act, 2019, (Act 992). Which provides a framework for enacting a beneficial ownership register,” Dr Bawumia explained.
“To further boost the fight against corruption, deficits in logistics and personnel of law enforcement agencies, especially the Ghana Police Service, and other accountability institutions, are being addressed,” he emphasised.
“For instance, since 2017, Government has increased budgetary allocations to all the accountability institutions of State, including the Parliament of Ghana, the Judiciary, CHRAJ, EOCO, the Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice, the Auditor General, the Office of the Special Prosecutor and the Ghana Police Service,” Dr Bawumia stated in Accra.
While commending the Auditor General, Mr Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu, the Board of the Audit Service and staff of the Service for the “very good work being done”, Vice President Bawumia reminded the District Auditors and their colleagues across the country that when corrupt activities such as financial improprieties such as misappropriation of funds, payroll fraud, and contract and procurement irregularities take place, the expectation of the taxpayers is that the public officials who commit these financial crimes would be sanctioned according to law.
“One of the functions of the Auditor-General which can combat these financial malpractices is disallowance of any item of expenditure which is contrary to law and surcharge the amount of any expenditure disallowed.
“The public, and, in particular the civil society organisations, have expressed dissatisfaction that the Auditor-General has not performed this critical function effectively. I am informed that the District Auditors will use the greater part of this conference to discuss this very important topical issue of disallowance and surcharge. I expect these discussions to produce outcomes to inform the processes for disallowances and surcharges.
“Nevertheless, let me assure the Auditor-General and Members of the Audit Service Board that in the same spirit of cooperation, The government of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will continue to provide the necessary support to the Audit Service to ensure that it operates independently as the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana mandates.”
Source: www.classfmonline.com
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Communication Ministry To Train 3000 Girls This Year Under The Girls-In-ICT Initiative
The Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations is set to train 3,000 girls under this year’s Girls-In-ICT Initiative.
The 2025 edition of the programme will expand its footprint to three key regions: Volta, Upper East and Upper West, with each region hosting 1,000 girls for in-person training sessions.
This marks a significant increase in reach and impact compared to previous years, where only 500 girls received face-to-face training while an additional 500 participated online.
By offering full in-person training to all participants this year, the Ministry aims to provide a more immersive and hands-on experience in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) education.
The Minister, Samuel Nartey George (MP) revealed this when a team from TATA Consultancy Services (TCS) paid a courtesy call on him today in his office and expressed interest in supporting the Girls-In-ICT Initiative.
During the meeting, the TCS team led by the President-MEA, Sumanta Roy commended the Ministry for its efforts in promoting digital inclusion and bridging the gender gap in technology through the Girls-In-ICT programme.
They emphasized the alignment of the initiative with TCS’s global corporate social responsibility agenda, which includes advancing education, promoting digital skills, and empowering underrepresented groups, especially young women in the tech industry.
The Honourable Minister welcomed the interest shown by TCS and noted that strategic partnerships like this are essential to the sustainability and expansion of the initiative.
The Girls-In-ICT Initiative, one of the Ministry’s flagship programs, seeks to equip young girls with practical digital skills and introduce them to the vast opportunities within the ICT sector.
The initiative also aims to address gender disparity in STEM fields and encourage greater female participation in Ghana’s digital economy.
Hon. Samuel Nartey George (MP) speaking about the 2025 rollout, stated: “This year’s program represents our commitment to building inclusive digital skills and creating future leaders in tech.
By expanding in-person sessions to all participants, we’re ensuring that every girl has the opportunity to learn, engage, and grow with hands-on support from professionals and mentors”.
Participants in this year’s training will receive instruction in coding, basic computer operations, cybersecurity and creative digital tools.
The programme also features mentorship sessions with women in tech, ICT competitions and career development workshops designed to build confidence and spark innovation among the girls.
According to the Minister, empowering girls today with ICT skills will transform communities and drive national development. The initiative is a key part of Ghana’s broader digital transformation agenda, which emphasizes equitable access to digital tools and education for all citizens.
About the Girls In ICT Initiative:
The Girls-in-ICT (GIICT) Initiative was introduced in Ghana in 2012. It is an initiative by the International Telecommunications Union to create a global environment that empowers and encourages girls and young women to consider studies and careers in the growing field of ICT.
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GEXIM deepens relations with US EXIM Bank
A management team of the Ghana Export – Import Bank (GEXIM) led by the Acting Chief Executive, Sylvester Mensah met with the leadership of the Export–Import Bank of the United States (US EXIM) on Wednesday April 23, 2025 in Washington DC, United States of America.
The Acting President and Chairman of US EXIM, Mr. James C. Cruse and Vice President, International Relations, Ms. Isabel Galdiz received the GEXIM delegation, which included Deputy CEO for Banking, Mr. Moses Klu Mensah and Head of International Cooperation, Mr. Jonathan Christopher Koney at the headquarters of US EXIM.
The meeting offered the GEXIM team the opportunity to share the strategic direction of the Bank in line with the resetting agenda of the President of the Republic, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama for the repositioning of the Ghanaian economy into an export-led one by providing the requisite investment to Ghanaian businesses.
Mr. James C. Cruse expressed US EXIM’s eagerness to deepen its existing relations with GEXIM and proposed the signing of a new Cooperative Framework Agreement following the expiration of a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2019 to utilize US EXIM’s medium term loan guarantees to procure machinery by GEXIM for qualified Ghanaian Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).
Mr.Sylvester Mensah thanked the Acting President and Chairman of US EXIM for hosting the GEXIM delegation and reaffirmed the Ghanaian government’s commitment to strengthening trade and investment between Ghana and its global partners for economic transformation of Ghana with GEXIM playing a pivotal role.
The two teams will be meeting on the sidelines of the 2025 US EXIM Annual Conference on 29th and April 30, 2025 to explore possible areas of collaboration and matching Ghanaian businesses to American companies. The meeting ended with an exchange of gifts.
