WORKSHOP ON CORRUPTION HELD IN TAMALE (PAGE 35, DEC 13, 2010)

THE Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has organised a day’s workshop on the effects of corruption on a nation in Tamale in the Northern Region.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Northern Regional Director of the CHRAJ, Mr Stephen Azantilow, mentioned the Attorney General and the Economic and Organised Crime Offices, the CHRAJ, the Auditor General’s Department and the Parliamentary Select Committee on Finance as institutions for the legal frame work for fighting corruption in the country.
Mr Azantilow spoke on the topic: “Available mechanism for reporting corruption in Ghana.”
According to him, the Economic and Organised Crime Office is a specialised agency mandated to monitor and investigate economic and organised crimes, including money laundering, human trafficking, tax and cyber fraud. 
Mr Azantilow, however, acknowledged that: “The existence of avenues for reporting corruption is not by themselves sufficient in the fight against corruption due to a myriad of problems.”
He explained that the institutions mandated to fight corruption such as the CHRAJ and the Economic and Organised Crime Office were under resourced.
Mr Azantilow stated that Parliament’s oversight of the executive was also rendered weak by Article 78 of the Constitution which mandates that majority of ministers are appointed from the legislature.
He further mentioned lack of political will and the effective decentralisation policy in the country as some of the challenges.
“The difficulty of fighting corruption in Ghana, as you would notice is not traceable to lack of mechanisms but the sheer unwillingness on the part of duty bearers to make the system work,” he stated.
Mr Azantilow also mentioned: “The resistance or arrogance of many people who think that the end justifies the means and would therefore do anything to achieve their aims and caprices regardless of the law.” 
He expressed concern about the creeping phenomena of the politicisation of crime in the country.
Mr Azantilow observed that in many instances when people had been charged for corruption, politicians took advantage of the situation to put party colourisation to such charges thereby whipping up the sentiments of their respective party followers against the trials.
“Until this culture is done away with, the fight against public corruption, especially at the highest level shall be a mirage,” the director stated.