Fighting Corruption or Losing the Battle? Ghana’s Declining CPI Score Raises Alarm
Ghana’s reputation as a beacon of democratic stability in West Africa has taken a hit as the country’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) score for 2024 dropped to 42, marking the first decline in five years. Released by Transparency International (TI) and reported by the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), this latest ranking places Ghana 80th out of 180 countries, raising serious concerns about governance, economic confidence, and the business environment.
The dip from 43 in 2023 to 42 in 2024 suggests a worsening corruption landscape, despite years of policy interventions aimed at curbing malfeasance. Since 2015, Ghana has lost five points on the CPI, reflecting deep-seated governance challenges that threaten its economic trajectory.
Ghana now ranks 11th among 49 Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries, trailing behind regional powerhouses such as Seychelles (72), Cabo Verde (62), Botswana (57), Rwanda (57), and Mauritius (51). In contrast, it remains ahead of countries such as Burkina Faso (41), South Africa (41), and Tanzania (41).
What is particularly alarming is the stagnation in Ghana’s anti-corruption momentum, especially at a time when Tanzania has gained 10 points since 2014 due to stringent enforcement, dismissal of corrupt officials, and the establishment of a dedicated anti-corruption court. Ghana, by comparison, has seen only minimal progress in prosecuting high-profile corruption cases, raising doubts about its commitment to real institutional reform.
Ghana’s struggle with corruption mirrors a broader global trend, with two-thirds of the world’s countries scoring below 50 on the CPI. The global average remains stuck at 43, highlighting the continued prevalence of bribery, embezzlement, and abuse of power in both developed and developing nations.
Transparency International’s Chair, François Valérian, issued a stark warning:
“Corruption is an evolving global threat that does far more than undermine development – it is a key cause of declining democracy, instability, and human rights violations.”
Ghana’s experience echoes this sentiment. Ineffective law enforcement, weak oversight institutions, and politicization of state agencies have all contributed to its declining score. Without decisive action, the country risks slipping further down the rankings, dampening investor confidence and economic prospects.
The repercussions of Ghana’s corruption challenges extend beyond governance—it is also hampering economic growth, foreign direct investment (FDI), and climate policy.
A critical area of concern is corruption in Ghana’s natural resource sector, particularly mining. Recent allegations of abuse of power in mining license allocations have further exposed the weaknesses in regulatory oversight. A stark reminder of the dangers of corruption came with the attack on three journalists from Multimedia Group Limited, allegedly by armed men linked to Edelmetallum Resources Limited, a mining company in the Ashanti Region.
Such incidents threaten press freedom, weaken accountability mechanisms, and fuel environmental degradation, particularly in the country’s gold and bauxite mining operations. Ghana’s failure to control corruption in its extractive industries has raised red flags among climate activists, as graft often translates into weak enforcement of environmental regulations.
If Ghana is to restore its anti-corruption momentum, bold and structural reforms must replace rhetoric. The Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) has outlined seven key recommendations to reverse the country’s declining CPI score:
- Empower Parliament to enhance financial oversight – The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) should be granted enforcement authority, while a Budget and Fiscal Analysis Department (BFAD) should be established to enhance fiscal discipline.
- Establish a specialized anti-corruption court – Fast-tracking corruption-related cases, as seen in Tanzania, would reduce the culture of impunity and signal seriousness in prosecuting corruption.
- Depoliticize the civil and public service – A merit-based appointment system should be introduced to prevent political patronage, which breeds inefficiency and waste.
- Protect whistleblowers and journalists – Stronger legal safeguards must be enacted to ensure those exposing corruption are not silenced or targeted.
- Pass the Conduct of Public Officers’ Bill and Internal Audit Agency Bill – These bills would introduce stringent measures on asset declaration, conflict of interest, and lifestyle audits to curb unexplained wealth accumulation.
- Enhance transparency in climate finance – Establish a national framework to track climate finance flows and environmental expenditures.
- Revise political party financing laws – Ghana must engage stakeholders to regulate political funding, which has long been an avenue for illicit financial flows and state capture.
Ghana’s latest CPI results serve as a wake-up call for policymakers, businesses, and civil society. Corruption is not merely a moral failure; it is a structural impediment that stifles growth, erodes trust, and weakens institutions.
With the country already facing economic headwinds, including debt distress and fiscal imbalances, the urgency to rebuild trust in governance has never been greater. Investors and international partners are watching closely. The government’s next steps could either restore confidence or further entrench Ghana’s corruption problem.
The question remains: Will Ghana take the bold steps necessary to reverse this downward spiral, or will corruption continue to tighten its grip on the nation’s future?
