Anti-corruption
STAR-Ghana Anti-Corruption Documentary
Corruption affects us all, holding back Ghana’s development and fuelling inequality. We work with citizens, companies and civil society to combat corruption and create lasting change.
Our approach
Through our anticorruption work, we are helping to develop models proven to work in the promotion of transparency and accountability. We have brought together a wide range of stakeholders from community, civil society, media, research and private sector organisations to create and test initiatives aimed at tackling corruption in the delivery of public goods and services, supply chains, promoting accountability in the use of mining royalties in the extractives industries, and encouraging a culture of anticorruption.
Our 33 projects are enabling our grant partners to take collective action on anticorruption, change perceptions and behaviours, influence systemic change and create an enabling environment for business to grow.
An enabling environment for business
The STAR Ghana Foundation supports initiatives with private sector associations aimed at tackling corruption and improving accountability. The Chamber of Pharmacy is working on a Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Watch initiative which seeks a review of the procurement and registration of pharmaceutical products with the Food and Drugs Authority.
The Private Enterprise Federation is engaging private sector and citizens to tackle corruption and improve the efficiency of services delivered by various agencies. Work is underway to improve transparency, health and safety, and accountability in the construction industry through our support to the Association of Ghana Industries.
‘The initiative supported by STAR Ghana has allowed us to engage in coalitions and to bring people and partners together to be part of the fight against corruption. This is a new approach to fighting corruption because citizens think they are not part of the fight, so the STAR Ghana project has allowed us to engage citizens bringing across the cost of corruption to them.’ Nana Osei-Bonsu, Chief Executive Officer, Private Enterprise Federation.
United against corruption
The STAR Ghana Foundation has helped to convene a number of innovative alliances to work together to tackle issues of corruption. For example, Socioserve-Ghana, a civil society organisation has teamed up with research consultancy JMK Consulting Group and iWatch Africa a media company to challenge corruption involving police officers.
Innovative approaches to tackle corruption
We are supporting community and civil society organisations to develop and test strategies which empower citizens and communities to tackle locally relevant corruption issues. In Tamale, the Centre of Active Learning and Integrated Development has joined forces with the League of Youth Coalition to track reports of corruption in the health sector and empower citizens demand their rights to health services. Elsewhere partner organisations are testing the use of innovative approaches, for example using digital communication technology, to enable citizens to raise issues related to corruption.
Where is our disability fund?
Community members are working to reduce the level of corruption associated with the management of the District Disability Fund across three districts in the Volta Region, thanks to the work of our partner Global Action for Women Empowerment. We are supporting the Ghana Society of the Physically Disabled to engage with duty bearers on behalf of their members with a focus on improving the administration and allocation of the District Assembly Common Fund, as well as access to healthcare services.
Changing minds on corruption
A number of our partners are working to shift perceptions and behaviours so that citizens are empowered to end corruption. We are encouraging a new generation of incorruptible Ghanaians through civic education thanks to the work of the inter-faith Forum for Actions on Inclusion, Transparency and Harmony (FAITH) Forum. The FAITH Forum is working with schools to provide lesson plans and activities aimed at sharing anticorruption messages and shaping a mindset among the young that will not tolerate corruption.
‘Corruption is to the detriment of society, it brings dishonesty and chaos, and hinders our national development. Faith leaders are seen as role models so we need them to be morally incorruptible and to talk against corruption to their constituents.’ Hajia Ayishetu Abdul-Kadri, chair of the FAITH platform committee and chair of the Federation of Muslim Women Association in Ghana.