On July 11, 2025, the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC), in partnership with United Civil Society Organisations for National Development (UCSOND) and the Ellembelle District Local Accountability Network (Ellembelle District LANet), with funding from the Hewlett Foundation, commemorated the African Union Anti-Corruption Day with students of Bonzo Kaku Senior High and the Hassaniya Islamic Junior High Schools at separate events.
The event began with a message from the Executive Director of GACC, which highlighted the Coalition and its partners’ ongoing efforts to engage youth on corruption and the progress made since 2018. The main focus areas included electoral corruption, bribery, whistleblowing, and youth involvement in combating this issue.
The Ellembelle District LANet members asked students about what they think constitutes corruption to gauge their understanding. The students of BOKASS demonstrated a clear understanding of corruption and the different institutions responsible for addressing it. After defining corruption as the abuse of power for personal gain, the students cited cheating in exams, falsifying grades, and teachers showing favoritism in exchange for gifts as examples of corruption within the school setting. Outside the school environment, they mentioned vote buying and bribing public officials before services are provided as examples of corrupt practices. The Ellembelle District LANet members, having previously conducted sensitization exercises with the students of BOKASS, were pleased with their performance.
The students of Hassaniya Islamic Junior High School were very excited about the opportunity and participated actively from the beginning to the end of the program. The team explained to the students what constitutes corruption, whistleblowing, and the protection for those who uncover or report corrupt practices, as well as the institutions tasked with dealing with corruption. During the question-and-answer session, a student said, “Corruption is bad because it takes away money that should help all of us.” They listed the police, the courts, and the chief’s palace as some of the areas where one can report corruption.
The Ellembelle District LANet members educated the young people on the understanding that they are the driving force for change in combating corruption. The students were also advised to “resist, reject, and report corruption” through safe channels to help build a better Ghana.
Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) on X (@GACC_GHANA), Facebook (Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition), Instagram (Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition), and LinkedIn (Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition).Hewlett Foundation on X (@Hewlett_Found), Facebook (William and Flora Hewlett Foundation), and LinkedIn (William and Flora Hewlett Foundation).African Union Advisory Board Against Corruption on X (@AUABC) and Facebook (African Union Advisory Board Against Corruption) African Union on X (@_AfricanUnion), Facebook (African Union), Instagram (African Union (AU)), and LinkedIn (African Union) The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), the Electoral Commission (EC) #AfricanAgainstCorruption#SayNoToCorruption#YouthAgainstCorruption
Story by: Kwame Bujey (LANet member and media personality).
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