The Executive Secretary of the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC), Mrs Beauty Emefa Narteh, has urged young people to “resist, reject, and report” corruption wherever it manifests.
She said the youth, more than any other demographic, bear the brunt of corruption’s impact, and must therefore rise with courage and conviction to challenge it.
Mrs. Narteh made this statement in a press release issued to commemorate the African Union’s Anti-Corruption Day on Thursday, July 10.
In her statement, she called on the youth of Ghana to take a definitive stand against the menace, describing them as both the most affected and the most powerful agents of change in the national anti-corruption agenda.
“The 2023 Auditor-General’s Report revealed that the country lost over GH¢11 billion to financial irregularities, resources that could have transformed education, healthcare, and job opportunities for its citizens. But it is our young people who often bear the harshest consequences. Corruption disrupts
access to quality education, reduces job prospects, limits opportunities, and undermines trust in public systems. These realities make it more challenging for young people to envision a future built on fairness and integrity. And yet, it is these same young people who hold the power to change the story.”
Highlighting the Coalition’s commitment to youth empowerment, she revealed that in 2024 alone, through its Local Accountability Networks (LANets), the GACC equipped 27,667 young people, including first-time voters, across 33 districts in 14 regions with the tools and knowledge to identify and resist election-related corruption.
Mrs Narteh noted that the GACC has thus far empowered youth in 40 districts spanning all 16 regions of the country, reaffirming the Coalition’s belief that youth participation is pivotal to building a fairer and more inclusive Ghana.
“This year, the GACC, in alignment with the African Union’s 2025 theme: ‘Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations,’ is expanding its youth-focused anti-corruption efforts to 40 districts across 16 regions.”
“This year’s initiative, supported by the Hewlett Foundation, will raise awareness about corruption, promote civic engagement, and encourage whistleblowing. We will leverage physical and digital engagement platforms such as schools, religious, social, community, and media platforms to motivate a new generation of youth to lead with integrity and demand accountability from duty bearers and to report corruption,” she added.
She further appealed to all stakeholders, parents, teachers, community leaders, religious institutions, media, public sector agencies, and civil society organisations to rally behind the youth and support their efforts to uphold transparency, integrity, and justice.