Accra: The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) receives approximately 10,000 complaints annually, significantly straining its investigative capacity. Financial limitations and the complexity of cases often lead to delays in completing investigations and publishing reports.
According to Ghana News Agency, Dr. Joseph Akanjolenur Whittal, Commissioner of CHRAJ, revealed this information during an interview at a public forum on corruption in Accra. The forum was organized by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) in collaboration with CHRAJ, Transparency International Ghana, and the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE). The event, themed 'Restoring Citizens' Trust in the Fight Against Corruption in Ghana: The Role of the Media,' highlighted the challenges faced by CHRAJ.
Dr. Whittal noted that many complaints require extensive investigations and evidence collection across various locations. "The complaints that come are not small complaints. Your staff must move all over the place to gather evidence. If I don't have money to give to my investigators to go and carry out over, some complaints will certainly suffer," he stated. He explained that the Commission's limited resources, along with the volume of complaints, often impact the speed of investigations.
He urged the media to pursue corruption-related stories beyond the initial reports and follow them to their conclusion, emphasizing that journalists should focus on the substance of cases rather than the identities or political affiliations of those involved. "We should not be thinking of the name of the person and maybe the political party he or she may belong to. That should not be the case. Every case must be treated with scrutiny and importance," he stressed.
Mr. Sulemana Braimah, Executive Director of the MFWA, emphasized that public perceptions significantly influence the fight against corruption, regardless of whether they reflect reality. "What matters, therefore, is that perceptions shape behavior. When citizens lose trust in institutions, they become less likely to report corruption and support accountability efforts or believe that change is possible," he said, adding that this is a challenge that must be confronted.
The event also included the passing-out ceremony of participants of the Next Generation Investigative Journalism (NGIJ) Fellowship, a three-month training program for early and mid-career journalists from West Africa. The fellowship provides advanced training in investigative and data journalism.