INTRODUCTION

Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) the local chapter of Transparency International (TI), was launched in December 1999. GII is a non-partisan, non-profit civil empowerment organization focused on the delivery of essential themes necessary for the creation of a National Integrity System.  It has a Board of 7 members and a Secretariat supported by 10 staff. 

Transparency International (TI) is the only global non-governmental and non-profit organization devoted solely to combating corruption.  With its secretariat in Berlin, Germany, TI is currently composed of 90 National Chapters. TI does not investigate or expose individual cases of corruption but lobbies for institutional and structural reforms. 

WHY COMBAT CORRUPTION
Corruption is a canker that needs to be extricated from society because: 

• It causes poverty
• It causes economic and social obstacles to the development of a country 

• It undermines the trust of the people in government and vice versa

OUR VISION
GII wants a corruption-free Ghana in all spheres of human endeavour where people and institutions act with integrity, accountability and transparency.

OUR MISSION
GII’s mission has three main objectives specifically aimed at achieving the vision of a corruption-free Ghana. These are:

MAIN OBJECTIVES

• To continuously create awareness about the negative effects of corruption
  
• To empower citizens to demand responsiveness, accountability and transparency from people and institutions in Ghana
  
• By working with people and institutions to build a culture of integrity, where corruption is unprofitable for people working in government, politics, business and civil society organisations.

• To educate the public about civic rights and duties especially the basis of constitutionalism;
• To Press for legislative reform of anti-corruption rules, enforcement procedures and rules restrictive to media freedom;
• To support the evolution of strong institutions of governance especially the institutions directly involved in anti-corruption activities;
• To forge links between the public and their governments as the basis for the evolution of a National Integrity System;
• To create and administer training programs in ethics and civic duty;
• To liaise with international anti-corruption bodies on anti-corruption strategies and activities;
• To create awareness on anti-corruption and integrity issues;
• To building a database (including Internet Access) and library on corruption for use by anti-corruption agencies and the public.

PAST AND ON-GOING ACTIVITIES
In the past two-to five years, GII has:

• Organizing sensitization workshops, seminar etc on the causes, effects and solution to corruption
• Engaging student bodies in schools and identifiable youth groups to talk about the canker and possible remedies
• Advocating for the passage of transparency-enhancing and anti-corruption legislations:
• Freedom of Information Law
• Whistleblower Law
• Assets Declaration Law (Regulation)
• Organise nation-wide radio programmes to educate the public on the importance of anti-corruption legislations in the fight against corruption
• Advocate for the ratification and domestication of United Nations (UN) and Africa Union (AU) Conventions against corruption
• Conducted Corruption-related surveys:
• GII “Voice of the people Survey – an Urban corruption perception survey in Southern Ghana (2005)
• Judiciary Watch Project – monitoring Judiciary corruption in Ghana (2005-2007)
• Launch of Transparency International’s annual reports namely:
• Corruption Perception Index (CPI)
• Global Corruption Report (GCR)
• Global Corruption Barometer (GCB)
• Published quarterly newsletter “GII Alert” that highlights GII and TI activities as well as best practices and significant happenings in anti-corruption in Ghana and around the world.
• Membership Drive Project aimed at raising awareness for qualified members of the public to join TI movement
• Launch of GII’s  new project, Advocacy and Legal Advice Centre (ALAC) from 2009-2013 the project provide the avenue for people and corporate bodies who either become victims or witnesses of corrupt practices the legal advice to pursue the cases with the appropriate authority
• Held meetings with key stakeholders in the water sector on transparency and accountability in the water sector – A GII new project
• Organised six (6) Ethics workshop on “Zero Tolerance Against Corruption Campaign: The Role of Religious Bodies in Ghana”
• Organised workshop for Public Officials to promote awareness for the new Guidelines on Conflict of Interest held in 2008

NETWORKING
GII works with individuals and local institutions of integrity such as The Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC), Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), The Attorney General’s Department, The Media, Parliament, Electoral Commission, civil society and
International institutions on anti-corruption issues in Ghana.

LOBBING
GII’s lobbying activities include:

• Sensitizing political and other concerned Parties and entering into dialogue on corruption through round table conferences, workshops, press statements etc.

• Addressing employees in various organizations and distributing leaflets on corruption to the general public
• Lobbying for protection of whistle-blowers in the Draft Protected Public Interest Disclosure Bill.
• Lobbying for freedom of information legislation through assisting the Attorney-General in drafting the freedom of Information Bill.
• Working with CHRI as a member of the coalition for FOI legislation in Ghana to get the law passed.
• A member of Publish what you pay.