Local communities in the Yilo Krobo Municipality are being empowered to take the frontline in Ghana’s anti-corruption efforts, following a two-day citizen training workshop organized by the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), the local chapter of Transparency International.
The workshop, held in Somanya in the Eastern Region, focused on equipping participants with a solid understanding of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016. The aim was to enable grassroots groups to monitor public resource use and demand accountability from local authorities.
Organized in partnership with the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition, and supported by the European Union, the training attracted a diverse cross-section of the community, including traditional leaders, persons with disabilities, women’s groups, youth representatives, and local government officials.
Mr. Jacob Tetteh Ahuno, Programmes and Research Officer at GII, emphasized that strengthening legal and financial literacy among community members is key to fighting corruption from the bottom up.
“Empowering communities with knowledge of financial management laws transforms them into watchdogs. Corruption thrives where ignorance and apathy exist,” he said.
The initiative, part of the broader “Strengthening Accountability, Rule of Law, and Institutional Responsiveness in Ghana” project, also featured representatives from institutions such as the Local Council of Churches, the National Commission for Civic Education, the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, the Ghana Hairdressers and Beauticians Association, civil society groups, and the media.
Throughout the workshop, participants shared local experiences of corruption and collaborated on practical strategies for exposing and addressing financial irregularities in public institutions. The interactive sessions helped foster a culture of civic responsibility and collective action.
Participants pledged to share their newfound knowledge across schools, churches, markets, and community gatherings, with a renewed commitment to promoting transparency and ethical leadership at the grassroots level.
Mr. Ahuno reaffirmed GII’s ongoing commitment to grassroots anti-corruption advocacy and urged all citizens to stay vigilant and engaged in monitoring public resource use.
“We can’t win the fight against corruption without the people. It starts in the community, and we must all play our part,” he concluded.
