Sunyani: Madam Margaret Abrafi Appiah, the Sunyani West Municipal Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has called on the youth to spearhead the fight against corruption in their communities. She emphasized the importance of young people leading anti-corruption initiatives to foster a transparent and accountable society, essential for national development.

According to Ghana News Agency, Madam Appiah made this appeal while addressing out-of-school youth groups during an educational campaign on corruption at Odomase. The NCCE organized the event under the 'Civic Engagement on the Rule of Law and the Fight against Corruption' project, in collaboration with Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, and co-funded by the European Union.

The project, spanning two years, seeks to educate young people on the rule of law, civic rights, legal frameworks, and the Whistleblower Act. The aim is to empower the youth to promote transparency and accountability within their communities. Madam Appiah urged them to form or join youth-led watchdog groups to oversee public projects, budget utilization, and service delivery in education, healthcare, and infrastructure.

She also highlighted the role of new media platforms, information centers, and community radio discussions in raising awareness among peers about the detrimental effects of corruption. She stressed the necessity of collaboration between civil society, anti-corruption agencies, and traditional leaders in the fight against corruption. The youth were encouraged to use the Whistleblower Act to report corruption, abuse of power, and misuse of public resources.

Hajia Claudia Rukaya, Sunyani West Municipal Director of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), stated that the Whistleblower Act is a vital tool for addressing breaches of public trust. She advocated for increased public education on the Act to enable citizens to contribute effectively to the national anti-corruption drive.