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Ghana’s fight against corruption has suffered a significant setback, according to the latest 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) published by Transparency International.
The report reveals that Ghana scored 42 points out of a possible 100, marking a one-point drop (-1) from its score in the 2022 report. This is the first time in five years that Ghana has lost points after maintaining a score of 43 since 2020.
With this latest ranking, Ghana is now positioned 80th out of 180 countries, closely ranking alongside Burkina Faso (41), Cuba (41), Hungary (41), South Africa (41), Tanzania (41), and Trinidad and Tobago (41), among others. Within Sub-Saharan Africa, Ghana now ranks 11th out of 49 countries.
Concerns from Anti-Corruption Groups
Reacting to the latest report in a press release, the anti-corruption organisation Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) expressed concern over the drop in Ghana’s score. It stated:
Since 2015 (a 10-year trend as depicted in Chart 1), Ghana has dropped 5 points on the CPI, reflecting persistent challenges in tackling corruption despite various policy interventions and institutional reforms. The decline suggests that policy, legal, and administrative reforms require further review and strengthening.
Recommendations to the Government
To address the worsening situation, GII has put forward seven key recommendations for the government:
Strengthen parliamentary oversight
Establish a specialised anti-corruption court
Ensure merit-based appointments in civil and public services
Protect whistleblowers and journalists
Enact the Conduct of Public Officers’ Bill and the Internal Audit Agency Bill
Improve transparency in climate finance
Review laws on political party financing
The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) is the world’s most widely used corruption ranking. It measures how corrupt a country’s public sector is perceived to be, based on assessments from experts and business leaders.