Tain stakeholders urged to join fight against corruption

Mrs. Sheila Rosetta Arthur, the Tain District Coordinating Director, has praised the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) and its partners for successfully rolling out a key accountability project in the district, describing it as a vital effort that fosters openness, trust, and inclusive local governance.

Speaking at a town hall meeting at Nsawkaw in the Tain district, Mrs. Arthur highlighted the importance of active citizen involvement in improving governance and rebuilding public confidence in state institutions. She stressed that everyone in society shares responsibility for tackling corruption, which she described as a collective challenge that demands unified action across all sectors.

"Corruption is not limited to public officials alone. Every Ghanaian, whether working in government, the private sector, businesses, communities, or even within families, must uphold integrity and firmly reject corrupt practices.

''Building a transparent, accountable, and prosperous nation requires the dedication and commitment of all citizens."

The town hall meeting, organized by the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) in collaboration with the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) and the Ghana Integrity Initiative (TIGhana), received support from the European Union in Ghana under the Strengthening Accountability, Rule of Law and Institutional Responsiveness in Ghana (SARIS) project.

The event brought together District Assembly officials, representatives from various state agencies, traditional leaders, religious figures, civil society groups, youth and women’s associations, members of the Tain Local Accountability Network (LaNet), and ordinary residents.

During the interactive session, LaNet facilitators educated participants on the nature of corruption, its damaging impacts on development, service delivery, and national progress. They outlined common forms of corrupt behaviour such as bribery, embezzlement, abuse of power, irregular procurement, nepotism, and conflicts of interest and encouraged citizens to play a stronger role in prevention by demanding accountability, rejecting bribes, engaging in local decision-making, and reporting wrongdoing through proper channels.

Participants were also briefed on the Advocacy and Legal Advice Centre (ALAC) and encouraged to utilise the platform for reporting corruption cases and accessing legal guidance.

The meeting created a valuable opportunity for residents to directly engage Tain District Assembly officials on pressing local issues, including governance standards, service delivery, development priorities, and the need for sustained dialogue. Officials responded to concerns raised and reaffirmed the Assembly’s dedication to greater transparency and better performance.

Attendees expressed gratitude to GACC, CDD-Ghana, TIGhana, and the European Union for the initiative, calling it timely and impactful. Many urged organisers to continue such forums to deepen citizen participation and strengthen accountability at the grassroots level.

Before the public engagement, GACC and its partners met separately with the District Assembly management to review compliance with the 2024 Auditor-General’s Report recommendations. It was confirmed that the Assembly had fully implemented all required actions and addressed every audit issue, reflecting strong commitment to financial discipline and accountability.

The SARIS project, funded by the European Union and implemented by GACC alongside CDD-Ghana and TIGhana, aims to enhance accountability mechanisms, uphold the rule of law, and boost institutional responsiveness through meaningful citizen engagement and collaborative governance in selected districts.