The engagement, held at Kpalbe, was attended by young apprentices, informal sector workers, artisans, manual labourers, among others. 

It formed part of the Civic Engagements on the Rule of Law and the Fight Against Corruption project being implemented by NCCE in partnership with GIZ and co- funded by the European Union.  

The initiative focused on empowering out-of-school youth with practical knowledge on civic rights, legal frameworks, and their role in promoting accountability. 

Madam Martha Bagbin, North East Gonja District Director of NCCE, speaking during the engagement, said it was to equip young people with knowledge on their rights and the protections available to them under the Whistleblowers Act thereby encouraging them to report wrongdoing without fear of victimisation. 

She made a presentation on the theme: “The Rule of Law and the Fight Against Corruption” describing corruption as the abuse of entrusted power for private gain adding bribery, embezzlement, extortion, nepotism, favoritism, and illegal cash contributions were common forms of undermining national development. 

She identified weak law enforcement, poor record-keeping, limited accountability, and low integrity levels in public institutions as some of the key drivers of corruption in the country. 

On conflict of interest, she explained that it arose when public officials derived private benefit from decisions taken in their official capacity, adding perceived, potential, and actual conflicts of interest all eroded public trust and compromised decision-making. 

She outlined channels for reporting wrongdoing and emphasized the relevance of Ghana’s key anti-corruption laws including the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989), the Whistleblower Act, and the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959), which provide avenues for citizens to expose misconduct and ensure accountability. 

Mr. Mumuni Zakaria, Secretary of the Gonjaland Youth Association in the North East Gonja District, emphasised the critical role of young people in promoting transparency and said they should demand fairness in governance. 

He urged the youth to participate in governance platforms such as youth parliaments and civil society organisations, serve as watchdogs by monitoring community projects, and promote integrity and ethical values among their peers. 

He encouraged them to engage in peaceful activism including petitions, dialogues, and advocacy campaigns to press for accountability and responsive leadership. 

Inspector Haruna Mohammed, Station Officer, Kpalbe Police Station, made a presentation on “Human Rights and Civic Space – Freedoms of Expression, Assembly, Association, and Access to Information”. 

He urged the youth to abide by the laws of the country to ensure peaceful coexistence and law and order to prevail for all citizens to go about their businesses without hindrance. 

Participants pledged their support towards building a culture of integrity and transparency in the district.