By Elizabeth Baah,GNA
Teshie (GAR), Sept 26, GNA - The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has organized a community durbar within the Ledzokuku District to educate residents on the importance of the Whistle Blowing Act.
The durbar, which was chaired by Imam Abubakar Saddig Kwei Khartey, engaged some participants from the Muslim community, Christian Community, Persons with Disability and Junior High students at Teshie Central Apostolic School.
Mr. Atiogbe Nicholas Tetteh, Ladzekuku Municipal Director of the NCCE, said the event, under the Accountability, Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Program (ARAP) was aimed at promoting good governance in the country, by reducing corruption and improving accountability and compliance with the rule of law through whistle blowing.
This, he said, would enable the citizenry to contribute meaningfully, to reduce corruption and deepen public accountability in the country.
Speaking under the theme, “Whistle blowing Mechanism and Anti- corruption: The Role of the citizenry” he said most Ghanaians felt reluctant to blow the whistle as they don’t believe in the institutions and people they relay information to hence the need to organize this program to motivate them to report more on issues on corruption .
He said the program engaged students from the junior high school because they would be easy to shape from the grass root as changing the elders would be difficult as they were used to certain character traits.
He urged religious leaders, traditional authorities and people occupying higher positions to stop pleading with the police when their people get arrested but rather council them to live uprightly and allow the law to deal with them when arrested.
The District Crime Officer at Nungua Police station and Acting District Commander in Teshie Police statio, Superintendent Osuman Alhassan who did a presentation on the theme said the Whistle Blowing Act was introduced by the government in 2006 adding that it was formulated based on article 41 of Ghana’s 1992 constitution to expose people who engaged in corruption and corruptible crimes.
He said “Ghanaians, we know the issue of corruption and its impact in our lives so it is about time we rise and fight against corruption by exposing people involved in corruption and corruption related crimes”
He said the act sought to encourage people with information about public and private officials who engaged in acts of impropriety, abuse of office, for their personal gain to report to the appropriate institutions.
He said the Whistle Blowers Act provided some form of protection and immunity from criminal prosecutions in instances where the whistle blower knew and believed that the information given was truthful and had provided these guidelines to ensure that there were fairness to encourage people to disclose information on impropriety without victimization or fear.
He urged Ghanaians, especially persons occupying higher positions to serve the public interest and not seek personal gains.
GNA
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