They were educated on the effects of corruption, whistleblowing, and the legal protections available to them for reporting acts of corruption.  

The engagement forum formed part of a nationwide campaign, which was held across 87 districts in the country to empower young people to resist, reject and report corruption.  

It was supported by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, GIZ and GACC under the Local Accountability Network (LANet) initiative.  

Mr Hafiz Hudu, Media and Communications Officer, RUWA Ghana, speaking during the forum, stated that the focus on young people was intentional, saying “If we start with the youth today, they will champion a better change for tomorrow.”  

He emphasised the pressing impact of corruption on national development highlighting issues such as youth unemployment, conflict of interest in public systems, and the long-standing burden of high-profile corruption cases on national development.  

He said RUWA Ghana was leading community-level advocacy to empower young people to challenge unethical practices and speak up without fear.  

The students and their teachers were educated on corruption using examples from school settings such as cheating in exams, falsifying grades and gifting teachers for favourable treatment.  

They were introduced to the Whistleblower Act, 2006 (Act 720), which offered protection, confidentiality and financial rewards for whistleblowers, whose reports lead to successful recoveries.   

They were also educated on the Witness Protection Act, 2018 (Act 975), which safeguarded individuals, who provided information on wrongdoing.  

It was emphasised that corruption directly harmed young people by limiting access to quality education, job opportunities, and healthcare, ultimately threatening national stability and trust in institutions.  

The students were encouraged to be ambassadors of integrity within their schools and communities by resisting corrupt practices and reporting wrongdoing to appropriate authorities such as the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, the Police, district assemblies, teachers and traditional leaders.  

Mr Hudu said similar engagements would be held at Garizegu in the Sagnarigu Municipality focusing on young people.  

He said the LANet initiative was a citizen accountability platform designed by GACC to strengthen community involvement in the fight against corruption.   

He said through the LANet initiative, RUWA Ghana was working closely with youth groups, schools, faith-based organisations, and community associations to deepen awareness and build a culture of accountability.