Lead Fight Against Corruption – GACC to Youth
The Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) has called on young people across the country to take an active role in the fight against corruption and become ambassadors of honesty, transparency, and accountability.
The appeal was made as Ghana joined other African countries to mark the 2026 African Anti-Corruption Day. This year’s celebration is under the theme, “Scaling Up the Promotion of Integrity and Anti-Corruption Actions Across Africa.”
In a statement issued to commemorate the day, the Executive Secretary of GACC, Mrs Beauty Emefa Narteh, said corruption remains one of the biggest challenges facing many African countries. She stressed that tackling the problem requires the support of governments, institutions, civil society organisations, communities, and individual citizens.
According to her, young people have an important role to play in building a society based on honesty and accountability. She said promoting integrity should not be the responsibility of anti-corruption institutions alone but a duty shared by everyone.
Mrs Narteh encouraged the youth to stand against all forms of corruption and become role models in their schools, workplaces, and communities.
She explained that empowering young people has been one of the main priorities of the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition over the years because they have the power to influence positive change and help build a corruption-free future.
This year’s African Anti-Corruption Day is also special for GACC as the organisation celebrates its 25th anniversary. Mrs Narteh said the coalition has spent the past 25 years working with government agencies, civil society groups, and development partners to promote transparency, accountability, and integrity across Ghana.
She noted that the coalition has introduced several programmes aimed at educating citizens, especially the youth, about the dangers of corruption and the importance of ethical behaviour.
One of the organisation’s major achievements came in 2025 when it reached more than 23,000 students through school education programmes organised under its Local Accountability Networks (LANets) initiative.
The awareness campaign was carried out in 40 districts across all 16 regions of Ghana. The programme educated students on integrity, accountability, and how they can help prevent corruption in their communities.
Building on the success of the project, Mrs Narteh announced that GACC has expanded the initiative this year to cover 85 districts nationwide. She said the expansion will allow the organisation to reach more students and communities with anti-corruption education.
As part of activities marking this year’s celebration, GACC is also organising the Capture Youth Voices Open Forum. The event will provide a platform for young people to share their views and experiences on corruption and discuss practical ways to promote integrity.
Mrs Narteh said the forum will help the coalition better understand how corruption affects the daily lives and future ambitions of young people while encouraging them to become part of the solution.
She urged young Ghanaians to speak up against corruption whenever they encounter it and to support efforts that promote fairness and accountability.
“The fight against corruption is a shared responsibility,” she said. “Every honest action and every decision to do what is right brings Ghana closer to becoming a transparent, fair, and prosperous nation.”
She also challenged the youth to “Resist, Reject, and Report” corruption, reminding them that their voices, actions, and choices can make a real difference in society.
Mrs Narteh thanked GACC’s partners for supporting the organisation’s work over the years. She gave special recognition to the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation for supporting activities to mark the 2026 African Anti-Corruption Day.
She expressed confidence that with stronger public participation, especially from young people, Ghana can make significant progress in the fight against corruption and build a more accountable future for all.
