Fear of Retaliation Rises as Only 26% of Ghanaians Feel Safe Reporting Corruption
A majority of Ghanaians believe corruption has worsened over the past year, with key public institutions—including the police, the Presidency, and Parliament—widely perceived as corrupt, the latest Afrobarometer survey reveals.
According to the findings, 74% of respondents say corruption increased in 2024, with 63% reporting a significant rise. This reflects a modest decline from the 77% recorded in 2022 but remains sharply higher than in 2017. Only 7% believe corruption has decreased.
The police remain the most distrusted institution, with 63% of Ghanaians stating that “most” or “all” officers engage in corrupt practices. Similarly, 54% believe corruption is prevalent at the Presidency, while 53% and 51% hold the same view of tax officials and Members of Parliament (MPs), respectively.
Concerns over retaliation for reporting corruption have intensified, with only 26% of Ghanaians feeling safe to do so, marking a four-percentage-point decline from 2022. Meanwhile, 71% fear negative repercussions for whistleblowing.
Dissatisfaction with the government’s anti-corruption efforts remains high, with 82% rating its performance as “fairly badly” or “very badly.” Since 2017, discontent has surged by 49 percentage points, underscoring public frustration over perceived inaction against graft.
The report signals deepening concerns over institutional integrity and the erosion of public confidence in the state’s ability to curb corruption.
