A new report by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has revealed that men are more likely than women to pay bribes when dealing with public officials.
The study also found that bribery is more common in urban areas than in rural communities, highlighting a persistent governance challenge in Ghana’s public service delivery.
The revelations are contained in the GSS’s Governance Series Wave 1 Report, presented by Omar Seidu, Head of Social Statistics at the GSS, in Accra.
The report, which monitored citizen experiences with public institutions throughout 2024, offers the most comprehensive picture yet of corruption, inclusiveness, and responsiveness in governance structures.
Over half of Ghanaians interacted with public officials
According to the report, 55.7 per cent of Ghanaians had contact with at least one public official between January and December 2024. Of this number, 18.4 per cent admitted to giving gifts—mostly cash—in exchange for services.
The report detailed how these exchanges were not limited to isolated cases but were indicative of widespread systemic issues in governance and service provision.
Police and city authorities top bribery list
The study identified ten public institutions as being most prone to bribery.
Among them, the Police Motor Transport and Traffic Division ranked highest, with a staggering 61 per cent of respondents who interacted with the division reporting that they had paid bribes.
This was followed by the Police General Duties unit (46.7 per cent), the Police Criminal Investigations Department (37.9 per cent), and the Traffic Management Authority/City Guard (34.4 per cent).
Persons with disabilities face higher bribery risks
The report also found that persons with disabilities were more likely to pay bribes, with 21.1 per cent acknowledging they had given gifts to access services.
Among those with physical challenges, the rate rose sharply to 40.1 per cent, while 32.5 per cent of respondents with visual impairments reported doing the same.
These figures raise serious concerns about accessibility and fairness in public service delivery, especially for vulnerable populations.
Regional disparities in bribery
The data also revealed significant regional variations in bribery experiences.
The Greater Accra Region recorded the highest incidence at 22 per cent, followed by the Ashanti Region at 18.1 per cent.
In contrast, the Savannah Region (1.0 per cent) and the North East Region (1.1 per cent) reported the lowest rates.
Beyond bribery, the GSS report painted a grim picture of civic participation and public trust in governance. More than 70 per cent of respondents stated that Ghana’s political system offers little or no opportunity for ordinary citizens to participate in decision-making processes.
This growing perception of exclusion underscores a disconnect between citizens and their elected representatives, and may explain declining public interest in community engagement and political discourse.
Data should drive policy reform
Speaking at the report’s launch, Government Statistician Dr. Alhassan Iddrisu stressed the need for policy reform grounded in reliable and inclusive data.
“Governance should be shaped by the voices of citizens…Policy reform must be driven by robust, inclusive, and representative evidence,” he said.
He reaffirmed GSS’s commitment to delivering credible and sustained data to support national development and democratic accountability.
Dr. Nii Moi Thompson, Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), described the report as timely, stating that corruption continues to pose the biggest threat to sustainable development in Ghana.
“If we can address corruption decisively, we can unlock the full potential of our national development strategy,” he noted.
Also present at the event was Dr. Gloria Sarku Kumawu, Deputy Clerk of Parliament, who said the findings offer critical feedback that could help institutions address deep-seated governance lapses.
Dr. Evans Aggrey-Darkoh, Head of the Office of the Head of Civil Service, added that rebuilding trust in governance begins with improving how public officials are perceived by the communities they serve.
Samuel Harrison-Cudjoe, a Programmes Officer, raised concerns about the impact of partisan politics on public engagement, pointing out that many citizens feel excluded from decision-making processes in their own communities.
The Governance Series Wave 1 Report was based on data collected between January 2 and 20, 2025, through a nationwide survey involving 7,248 respondents from 15,400 households. The sample was drawn from the 2021 Population and Housing Census framework.
The report covers the period from January to December 2024 and reflects the experiences of Ghanaians across over 20 public institutions. It aligns with the objectives of Sustainable Development Goal 16, which promotes peace, justice, and strong institutions.
