The Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) has issued a powerful call to action for Ghanaian youth to take center stage in the national fight against corruption, as the continent marks the 2025 African Union Anti-Corruption Day (AUACD) on July 11.
This year’s AUACD, themed “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations”, renews the continent’s collective resolve to eliminate corruption, a vice that continues to derail development, deepen inequality, and erode public trust in institutions. In Ghana alone, the 2023 Auditor-General’s Report revealed financial irregularities costing the nation over GH¢11 billion—funds that could have improved schools, hospitals, and job creation.
GACC Executive Secretary, Mrs. Beauty Emefa Narteh, emphasized the heavy toll corruption takes on young people, limiting their access to opportunities and damaging trust in public institutions. “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,” she said.
In response, the GACC and its partners are scaling up their youth-focused anti-corruption initiatives. In 2024 alone, the Coalition, through its Local Accountability Networks (LANets), reached over 27,000 young people across 33 districts, equipping them with tools to resist election-related corruption.
This year, the campaign expands to 40 districts in all 16 regions, backed by support from the Hewlett Foundation. The initiative will leverage schools, faith-based institutions, media, and digital platforms to promote integrity and encourage young people to speak out and report corruption.
Mrs. Narteh issued a rallying call to all sectors—families, schools, religious bodies, and civil society—to support and protect young people taking a stand for accountability. She concluded by encouraging youth to commit to the “3Rs” of anti-corruption: Resist, Reject, and Report.
