Madam Josephine Nkrumah, Chairperson of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has underscored the need to strengthen democratic institutions to enhance accountability and transparency.

She said strong institutions were critical to consolidating Ghana’s democratic gains and ensure sound governance, minimize corruption, enhance public accountability and increase citizen participation.

Madam Nkrumah said this in Accra at a national dialogue on the assessment of anti-corruption and public accountability institutions in Ghana based on a study on: “Public Opinion on Corruption, Public Accountability and Environmental Governance".

The dialogue was organised by the NCCE and Accountability, Rule of Law and Anti-corruption Programme (ARAP), with support from the European Union.

The Eighth ARAP National Dialogue, on the theme: “Strengthening Our Democratic Institutions,” aimed at engaging, educating and empowering the citizenry to actively participate in the governance process.

It focuses on strengthening Ghana’s democratic institutions to complete other focal points in the seven previous national dialogues including Anti-corruption, Public Accountability, Environmental Governance, Whistleblowing and Right to Information.

Madam Nkrumah called on stakeholders to advocate the much-needed reform to strengthen democratic institutions “so that as a sovereign people, indeed we secure for ourselves and posterity the true blessings of liberty, equality of opportunity and prosperity”.