Ghana’s latest national bribery report reveals a troubling dimension to corruption—its disproportionate impact on the country’s most vulnerable populations, including persons with disabilities and the unemployed.
Although the majority of reported bribe-payers were employed (75.6%), the financial burden weighed more heavily on the jobless. A striking 22.4% of unemployed respondents admitted to paying more than GH¢1,000 in bribes—highlighting serious equity concerns in accessing public services.
People living with disabilities were also more exposed to corruption. The report, published by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), indicates that 21% of persons with disabilities paid bribes, with even higher rates among those with physical (40.1%) and visual (32.5%) impairments.
“These figures point to systemic inequalities that create barriers to accessing basic services,” the report notes, suggesting that corruption not only erodes governance but also exacerbates social exclusion.
Bribes weren’t always in cash—though that remained the most common form (85.2%). Other inducements included food, drinks, animals (9%), and favours or services (4.4%).
While most respondents said they paid between GH¢101 and GH¢500, a worrying 14% disclosed paying over GH¢1,000 to access or expedite services.
Notably, 17.3% of all bribes were given voluntarily, often to speed up bureaucratic processes or curry favour, showing how normalized corruption has become.
Yet, despite widespread experiences with bribery, only 14.5% of respondents formally reported incidents—underscoring deep mistrust in grievance systems and fears of reprisal.
The GSS says its bi-annual Governance Series aims to track these troubling patterns and inform anti-corruption reforms. The findings come as Ghana prepares for its third Voluntary National Review of the UN Sustainable Development Goals in July 2025, where inclusive access to justice and effective institutions will be under scrutiny.
