Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has identified low salaries within the public sector as one of the key factors fueling corruption in Ghana.
Speaking in an interview with Accra-based JoyNews, the former leader urged authorities to address remuneration challenges as part of broader governance reforms aimed at strengthening accountability and transparency within public institutions.
According to Dr. Kufuor, rapid technological advancement and the growing complexity of modern society have made corrupt practices more sophisticated, allowing individuals with technical skills and intelligence to exploit weaknesses in governance systems.
“We are in the era of science and technology. Science keeps researching and refining things, and people who tend to be bright— not all of them will use their brilliance for fair and good purposes. So, sophistication is really deepening corrupt practices,” he said.
The former president emphasized that strong institutional systems are necessary to detect and prevent corruption, warning that individuals will continue to exploit loopholes if governance structures are not continuously strengthened.
He further noted that Ghana’s reluctance to address poor public sector remuneration contributes significantly to corruption.
“A poor remuneration system, which our society somehow finds shy in tackling, is one of the sources of corruption, given our situation,” he added.
Beyond remuneration reforms, Dr. Kufuor also proposed the creation of a second chamber of Parliament to complement the current legislative system.
The former president suggested that the proposed chamber should include traditional leaders, religious figures, academics, trade union representatives, and experienced retired public servants, who would provide independent guidance on national issues.
According to him, the additional chamber would function as a “house of wisdom and experience,” offering non-partisan advice to improve the quality of national decision-making.
Dr. Kufuor argued that Ghana’s existing parliamentary structure alone may not be sufficient to guarantee effective governance and that broader representation from respected national institutions could strengthen policy development and oversight.
His remarks highlight the need for a combination of fair public sector compensation, strong institutional safeguards, and governance reforms to effectively tackle corruption and promote accountability across the country.
