Ghana is losing a staggering $3 billion every year to corruption, more than double the nation’s annual foreign direct investment (FDI) inflow, according to Beauty Nartey, President of the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC). This startling figure was revealed during the official launch of the Strengthening the Rule of Law and Fight Against Corruptionproject in Accra.
Nartey did not mince words as she laid bare the scale of Ghana’s corruption problem. “What comes into our country as support is only about half of what we lose to corruption,” she said. “So one may ask why we are not putting more effort into preventing the loss of such a staggering amount.”
With development aid from international partners shrinking—particularly following recent funding cuts from the United States—Nartey urged a shift in focus: rather than relying heavily on aid, Ghana must plug the holes that corruption continues to create in public finance. Her message was blunt but necessary: corruption is robbing Ghana of its future.
A Call for Real Consequences
Nartey warned that the fight against corruption cannot continue to be symbolic or seasonal. Instead, she called for the implementation of tougher legal consequences and the strengthening of institutions tasked with holding public officials accountable.
“We cannot continue paying lip service to the fight against corruption,” she said. “We need to see real collaboration between institutions like the Auditor-General’s Department, EOCO, the Attorney-General’s Department, and the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).”
She also renewed GACC’s call for the adoption of the proposed Illicit Enrichment Law—a legislative measure that would allow the state to investigate and prosecute individuals whose wealth appears vastly disproportionate to their known income.
A United Front: Germany and EU Join the Battle
The new anti-corruption initiative is part of the broader Participation, Accountability and Integrity for a Resilient Democracy (PAIReD) programme, supported by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and co-funded by the European Union.
Also, read: Nigerian Scientist Pioneers Breakthrough in AI-Powered Worm Behavior Research
The €12.7 million project, implemented by GIZ Ghana in partnership with Ghana’s Ministry of Finance, aims to strengthen accountability mechanisms at both national and local levels. The programme will bolster institutions like the OSP, EOCO, and CHRAJ, empower civil society through training and advocacy support, and push for digital tools to improve transparency in public service delivery.
Speaking at the event, Astrid Kohl, Programme Director for PAIReD, emphasised the importance of reforming public finance to be more citizen-centered and responsive to both gender and climate issues. “The goal,” she said, “is to ensure Ghana’s resources serve the people, not personal interests.”
Trust in Institutions on the Decline
Despite efforts from anti-corruption advocates, public trust in Ghana’s institutions continues to erode. Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI) scores for Ghana remain below the global average of 50—a clear sign that citizens are dissatisfied with the status quo.
According to Nartey, institutions such as the police, parliament, tax authorities, and even the presidency are frequently seen as deeply compromised by corruption. “This public perception makes reforms even harder,” she noted. “People need to believe that justice is possible, and that starts with genuine accountability.”
A Crossroads for Ghana
As Ghana grapples with economic pressure and dwindling external aid, the cost of corruption has become too big to ignore. Beauty Nartey’s message is clear: the country must stop treating corruption as a background issue and start confronting it as the development crisis it truly is.
Whether through new legislation, stronger institutions, or increased civic engagement, the fight against corruption can no longer be delayed. Ghana’s future may very well depend on it.
