Over GHS 5 billion bribes paid to public officials in 2021 – UNODC report
A comprehensive report released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has revealed that Ghanaians from various walks of life disbursed an astonishing amount of GHC5 billion in bribes to public officials in order to expedite service delivery.
The overarching objective of these bribes was to secure preferential treatment for those extending these bribes, according to the UNODC’s report titled “Corruption in Ghana: People’s Experiences and Views.”
Authored by Samuel Kobina Annim, the Government Statistician, and Richard Quayson, the Deputy Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), the report focuses on various dimensions of corruption in the nation, revealing a nexus between bribery, education, and age demographics.
Per the report, corruption is most pronounced among the highly educated stratum of the population, which is an unexpected revelation. While one might assume that educational attainment is inversely correlated with susceptibility to bribery, the report showcases a counterintuitive truth.
Individuals holding Master’s or Bachelor’s degrees were 1.7 times more prone to encountering bribery-related solicitation or payment requests from public officials than their less-educated counterparts.
Additionally, the report underscores that bribery is rampant among the youthful demographic. With individuals aged 25-34 at the forefront of bribery prevalence (29.9%), younger citizens in the 18-24 age bracket also find themselves embroiled in these transactions (23.9%). However, the prevalence of bribery wanes among older citizens, with those aged 65 and over experiencing a significantly reduced incidence (17.6%).
The unsettling narrative extends to the identification of the main culprits among public officials who extract bribes. Notably, the study exposes the police force as the leading culprit, with 53.2% prevalence of bribery. Officers of the Ghana Immigration Service and Customs officers from the GRA follow suit, with bribery prevalence rates of 37.4% and 33.6% respectively.
In stark contrast, elected government representatives display a notably lower propensity for accepting bribes, standing at a mere 2.9%.
The methodology behind these unethical transactions comes into focus as well. The report divulges that an overwhelming 60% of bribes extended to public officials were directly requested by these authorities themselves. This unsettling revelation underscores the entrenched and expected nature of bribery transactions, underlining the unequal power dynamic that empowers officials to solicit payments in exchange for services that should ideally be rendered free of charge.
While the common medium for bribery payments remains cash (84.8%), rural areas are more likely to witness bribes paid in the form of food and drink (17.8%) as opposed to urban regions (10.1%). The financial repercussions are pronounced as well, with the national average bribe amounting to GHC348. With approximately 17.4 million bribes estimated to have been paid in Ghana during 2021, the aggregate annual cash disbursement to public officials approaches a staggering GHC5 billion — equivalent to 32.9% of the Ministry of Education’s 2021 budget.
This illuminating report also delves into the gender dynamics of corruption, highlighting that in 2021, men faced a higher rate of bribery incidence than women. Interestingly, the report also exposes the disproportionate targeting of women for sexual corruption, where sexual favors are demanded in lieu of monetary bribes. The practice is deeply entrenched, with social stigma surrounding such transactions making it likely that reported figures represent only a fraction of the actual occurrences.
In a nation grappling with corruption’s pervasive effects, the UNODC report serves as a clarion call for systemic reform, as Ghana endeavors to recalibrate its institutions and restore public trust.
