By Franklin Asare-Donkoh
Ghana’s Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has described the country as a regional and global leader in the fight against corruption at the world’s largest anti-corruption summit held in Doha, Qatar.
Addressing the 11th Session of the Conference of States Parties (CoSP 11) to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), Mr Bagbin said corruption is a shared national responsibility and a constitutional concern. He stressed that Ghana’s approach is anchored in political leadership, preventive reforms, asset recovery and the strengthening of state institutions.
He highlighted key initiatives undertaken by Ghana, including the National Anti-Corruption Action Plan (NACAP), public procurement reforms and the digitalisation of public financial management systems.
Mr Bagbin also referred to systems recovery mechanisms through institutions such as the Office of the Special Prosecutor and the Economic and Organised Crime Office, calling for stronger international collaboration to tackle corruption across borders.
According to him, a major breakthrough for Ghana at the summit was the adoption by consensus of the first-ever UNCAC resolution on transparency in political party financing, election campaigns and candidacies for public office. Ghana, working with Norway, Albania and Mongolia, led negotiations that resulted in the historic resolution, which emphasises citizens’ right to know who funds political activities.
On prevention, which he described as central to Ghana’s anti-corruption strategy, the Speaker said corruption must be addressed at its roots by promoting ethical values, closing systemic gaps and limiting opportunities for the abuse of power.
He noted that Ghana is strengthening integrity within the public service, reforming public procurement and financial management systems, and expanding oversight and citizen participation, in line with the 2025 Code of Conduct for Government Officials.
Supporting Ghana’s delegation, the Chief Justice, Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, acknowledged progress made under NACAP but pointed to challenges in translating national reforms into tangible impact at the local level. He stressed the importance of evidence-based policymaking and international cooperation in sustaining the gains made.
Meanwhile, Ghana’s Ambassador to the United Nations in Vienna, Matilda Alomatu Osei-Agyeman, highlighted the country’s benefits from technical assistance provided by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), particularly in legal reforms, asset recovery and the evaluation of anti-corruption strategies. She called for expanded support for developing countries.
The Doha conference concluded with the adoption of the Doha Declaration 2025, which reaffirmed global commitment to international cooperation, technical assistance and the responsible use of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, in combating corruption.
Ghana’s leadership at CoSP 11, organisers said, places the country at the forefront of global efforts to strengthen transparency, accountability and integrity in democratic governance.
The Ghanaian delegation joined more than 2,500 participants from 170 UN member states at the forum, held under the theme “Shaping tomorrow’s integrity”, to review global corruption challenges and assess progress in implementing anti-corruption measures.
