The Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has reinforced Ghana’s credentials as a regional and global leader in the fight against graft, following a landmark outcome at the world’s largest anti-corruption summit in Doha, Qatar.
Addressing the 11th Session of the Conference of States Parties (CoSP 11) to the UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), the speaker described corruption as a shared national responsibility and a constitutional concern, stressing that Ghana’s approach is anchored in political leadership, preventive reforms, asset recovery and strong institutions. He highlighted key initiatives, including the National Anti-Corruption Action Plan (NACAP), public procurement reforms, and digitalisation of public financial management. He cited systems recovery mechanisms through institutions such as the Office of the Special Prosecutor and the Economic and Organised Crime Office and called for stronger international collaboration.
Speaker Bagbin mentioned that a breakthrough for Ghana was the adoption, by consensus, of the first-ever UNCAC resolution on transparency in political party financing, election campaigns and candidatures for public office. Ghana, working with Norway, Albania and Mongolia, successfully led negotiations that delivered the historic resolution, stressing citizens’ right to know who funds politics.
Touching on prevention, which he described as central to Ghana’s anti-corruption strategy, the Speaker said corruption must be tackled at its roots by promoting ethical values, closing systemic gaps and limiting opportunities for abuse of power. He noted that Ghana is strengthening integrity in the public service, reforming public procurement and financial management systems, and expanding oversight and citizen participation, in line with the 2025 Code of Conduct for Government Officials.
The Chief Justice, H.L Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, who supported Ghana’s delegation, acknowledged progress made under NACAP while noting challenges in translating national reforms into local impact. He emphasised evidence-based policymaking and international cooperation as central to sustaining gains.
Ghana’s Ambassador to the UN in Vienna, H.E. Matilda Alomatu Osei-Agyeman, highlighted the country’s benefits from UNODC technical assistance, particularly in legal reforms, asset recovery and evaluation of anti-corruption strategies, and called for expanded support for developing countries.
The Doha conference concluded with the adoption of the Doha Declaration 2025, which reaffirmed global resolve for international cooperation, technical assistance, and the responsible use of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, in combating corruption. Ghana’s leadership at CoSP 11 positions the country at the forefront of global efforts to strengthen transparency, accountability and integrity in democratic governance.
Ghana joined more than 2,500 delegates from 170 UN member states at the global forum to review corruption challenges and assess progress in implementing anti-corruption measures, under the theme “Shaping Tomorrow’s Integrity.”
