Application deadline: April 21, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. GMT

iWatch Africa

iWatch Africa is a non-governmental media and policy organization focused on transparency and accountability based in Ghana. We are focused on media development initiatives including tracking and reporting on digital rights, trans-national organized crime, Illicit Financial Flows, human rights abuse, climate change and environmental abuses in Africa. We are part of Thomson Reuters Foundation’s 3-year project on Illicit Financial Flows in Africa, focusing on Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Mozambique and Ghana.

About the Thomson Reuters Foundation

The Thomson Reuters Foundation is the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, a global provider of independent international news and information. As an independent charity, registered in the UK and US, we work to advance media freedom, foster more inclusive economies and promote human rights. And through news, media development, free legal assistance and advocacy initiatives, we combine our media and legal services to drive systemic change.

We are accepting applications on a rolling basis, please apply as soon as possible.

With financial support from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad), iWatch Africa and Thomson Reuters Foundation is seeking Ghana journalists motivated to understand how their country and/or other countries of the African continent could lose money illicitly. This training objective is to find Africa’s missing billions, lost to illicit financial flows (IFF) through investigative reporting.

The program is a long-term commitment and journalists participating in the program must sign an agreement that commits them to the following elements of the training program:

• Intensive training on illicit financing reporting.

• The first workshop will take place from Monday, 29th April to Friday 3rd May 2024 (5 days) in Accra.

• A second workshop will take place a few weeks after the first training in Accra – TBD.

Participants selected for the program will:

• Produce and publish one or more articles on illicit financial flows.

• Receive mentoring and editorial support to help them produce the story/stories.

Journalists will not be considered to have completed the program until they have completed all elements of the program, including the production of at least one article on illicit financial flows. They will also not be able to receive their certificates before this stage.

PROGRAM BENEFITS

• If selected, you will participate in two intensive workshops covering illicit finance, business investigations, accounts and budgets, and investigative techniques. The workshops will take place in Accra.

• You will propose one or more story ideas that you would like to work on as part of the program and if you are selected, we will provide you with experienced journalists to help you produce your stories through to publication/broadcast.

• If you are selected, you will receive modest funding to help you realize your stories.

• You will have exclusive access to the expertise of our network of illicit financing experts.

• You will also have access to story ideas and editorial advice and will be invited to share your own expertise with other participants.

Successful applicants will receive full sponsorship which will cover accommodation and meals.

Who Can Apply

Application deadline: April 20, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. GMT.

We are accepting applications on a rolling basis, please apply as soon as possible.

Interested journalists should provide:

• A link to a sample of your work (copy of published articles, if links are not available).

• If your sample is published in the local language, please provide us with an English translation (if the link is online, please share it so the web page can be translated).

• A letter from your editor consenting to your participation in the program and confirming that they will publish your story produced under the program. If you are a freelancer, please provide us with a commitment from your media outlet confirming that your story will be published.

• For example, the letter should say “I confirm that we will publish the story produced under the program.”

• If the letter from your editor or press organization does not explicitly state this, we will not be able to consider your application.

Please prepare all your documents before starting the application.

Please note that acceptance to the program does not mean that your story proposal has been approved. If you are accepted, the story proposal will be reviewed by our editorial team before approval.

Click on the link below to apply:

https://forms.gle/KwhSxFs1faAHwnbL9

If you have difficulty applying, please email info@iwatchafrica.org with the subject: ‘Ghana IFFs Training Program 2024’ – We cannot guarantee a rapid response if this subject is not mentioned.

The post iWatch Africa call for applications: illicit finance training – Accra appeared first on iWatch Africa.

Terms of Reference:

Working Together to Curb Illicit Financial Flows from Sub-Saharan Africa Project

Introduction

iWatch Africa

iWatch Africa is a non-governmental media and policy organization based in Ghana. We are focused on media development initiatives including tracking and reporting on digital rights, trans-national organized crime, Illicit Financial Flows, human rights abuse, climate change and environmental abuses in Africa. We are part of Thomson Reuters Foundation’s 3-year project on Illicit Financial Flows in Africa, focusing on Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Mozambique and Ghana.

Thomson Reuters Foundation

Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, champions media freedom, inclusive economies, and human rights globally. Registered in the UK and USA, we drive systemic change through news, legal assistance, and convening initiatives. Currently, we’re leading a 3-year project on Illicit Financial Flows in Africa, focusing on Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Mozambique and Ghana.

Background

Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs) denote the illicit transfer of funds across borders, encompassing actions deemed illegal, unethical, or harmful to the economies and societies involved. These activities encompass tax evasion, money laundering, corruption, and illicit trade, all of which yield severe economic, social, and political repercussions for both developed and developing nations.

Pinpointing the exact scale of IFFs proves challenging due to their clandestine nature. Nonetheless, estimates from entities like Global Financial Integrity (GFI) and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) suggest annual losses amounting to trillions of dollars due to IFFs. Developing countries bear a disproportionate burden, with illicit outflows often surpassing official development assistance and foreign direct investment.

In contrast to developed nations, where income tax stands as a primary revenue source, developing countries heavily rely on trade-related taxes. Despite the establishment of initiatives like the East Africa Community (EAC) Customs Union and Trade Protocol in 2005 to bolster intra-regional trade and enhance member countries’ productive capacities through trade agreements and tariff schedules, recent research by the Anti-Corruption Evidence initiative (ACE) reveals a significant rise in rent-seeking behavior over the past 15 years. This surge, attributed to trade misinvoicing and smuggling, results in substantial revenue losses. Notably, GFI estimates indicate that trade misinvoicing alone accounts for two-thirds of all IFFs, totaling $600-900 billion for developing countries annually. Tariff evasion, while a global issue, exacerbates in nations struggling with enforcement of tariff rates and customs regulations, leading importing firms to engage in trade misinvoicing to evade tariffs or move capital abroad.

For instance, in Ghana, Illicit Financial Flows show its face through money laundering, tax evasion, under-invoicing, internet fraud, the extractive industry, fishing industry, forex market imports and the real estate sector.

In 2019, the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) reported that an audit of Customs Management Systems discovered that about 1.8 billion dollars had been transferred outside the country. With regards to exports, EOCO with support from the Precious Minerals Marketing Commission (PMMC) examined about 10 gold companies for the period of 2018 to 2020 and from these 10 companies, it was noticed that about 1.1 billion dollars’ worth of gold was transferred outside the country.

Given this context, iWatch Africa with support from the Thomson Reuters Foundation (TRF), intends to provide training for journalists. The goal is to empower journalists with the necessary skills to craft stories that expose concealed financial activities, raise public consciousness, and aid in the fight against corruption, tax evasion, and other types of financial misconduct that hinder sustainable development in Tanzania.

Objective

iWatch Africa and TRF advocate for journalists to possess comprehensive knowledge of IFFs. Equipping journalists with the skills to investigate and report on these matters ensures that the public gains awareness of how these practices deplete resources and hinder development. Journalists will consequently assume a crucial role in ensuring accountability for governments, corporations, and individuals engaged in IFFs.

Scope of work

1. Investigative Journalism: Techniques and Practices
2. Building and Pitching Your Investigation: Strategies for Effective Communication
3. Planning and Sourcing: Developing a Comprehensive Approach
4. Sources and Searching: Methods for Gathering Information
5. Tax and DRM (Domestic Resource Mobilization): Understanding Current Trends
6. Review, Learning Points, Action Planning: Reflecting on Progress and Setting Goals
7. Tax Avoidance, Offshoring, and Tax Havens: Exploring Strategies and Consequences
8. Gender and Human Rights: Examining Intersectional Issues
9. Credibility, Accuracy, and Media Trust: Upholding Journalistic Integrity
10. Pitching Session: Presenting Your Investigation with Impact
11. Organizing and Protecting Data, Sources, and Self: Safeguarding Information and Security
12. Money Laundering: Uncovering Illicit Financial Activities
13. Legal Issues: Navigating the Legal Landscape of Investigative Journalism
14. Extractive Industries: Investigating the Impact and Practices
15. Review, Learning Points, Action Planning: Iterating Strategies for Improvement

Modality

An array of modalities will be employed to deliver comprehensive training sessions, incorporating dynamic PowerPoint presentations, interactive discussions, hands-on activities, multimedia demonstrations, case studies, role-playing exercises, and real-world simulations.

Targeted Audience

This capacity building session intends to strengthen the knowledge of 10 journalists in Ghana.

Duration

The training will be held in April, 18-19 2024 Accra, Ghana. After the training, the consultant will be provided with 10 working days to submit the training report before the final payment is made.

Expected outcomes.

Following the training, journalists who have undergone the program will need to produce

and disseminate thoroughly researched, influential articles concerning Illicit Financial

Flows (IFFs) across various media platforms. Equipped journalists will also be allowed to

partner with experts to improve their coverage of IFF practices.

How to Apply

1. Qualifications

We are seeking local trainers who demonstrate a strong background and expertise in their respective fields. To ensure the highest quality of candidates, applicants should meet the following qualifications:

2. Relevant Experience: Applicants should possess a proven track record in delivering training sessions or workshops related to Illicit Financial Flows. This should be reflected in their CVs and cover letters.
3. Recent Training Workshops: Applicants must provide details of the last two training workshops they conducted. This information should include the topics covered, the duration of the workshops, and the target audience. It should demonstrate the applicant’s ability to effectively plan, organize, and deliver training sessions.
4. Regional Work Experience: Preference will be given to candidates who have experience working within the region. Applicants should provide references to any work they have done in the region, highlighting their familiarity with local contexts, challenges, and opportunities.
5. Media/Professional Networks: Applicants should showcase their involvement in relevant media or professional networks within the region. This could include memberships, affiliations, or partnerships with organizations, associations, or groups related to the field of training.
6. Alumni Organizations: Candidates who are associated with alumni organizations related to education, training, or professional development are encouraged to highlight these affiliations in their application. Alumni networks can serve as valuable resources for networking, collaboration, and support.
7. Communication Skills: Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, are essential for effective training delivery. Applicants should demonstrate their ability to convey complex information clearly and engage with diverse audiences.
8. Adaptability: The ability to adapt training approaches to meet the needs of different audiences and learning styles is crucial. Applicants should provide examples of how they have tailored their training methods to accommodate various learning preferences and abilities.

8. Team Player: The ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues and stakeholders is essential. Applicants should demonstrate their capacity to work well within a team environment, contributing positively to group dynamics and achieving common goals.
9. Please provide us with your cv and a cover letter if interested.
10. All documents should be sent to info@iwatchafrica.org with the subject “Journalism Training Scheme” by 5th April, 2024. 

Only shorlisted applicants will be contacted. If you do not hear from us by the end of April, 2024 then your application was not successful. Thank you.

The post iWatch Africa Consultancy – Call for media trainers in Ghana appeared first on iWatch Africa.

1. China’s trespassing vessels and the economic impact on Ghana’s fisheries sector   
2. How Big Tech’s Content Moderation Policies Could Jeopardize Users in Authoritarian Regimes
3. Garbage Out, Garbage In: How Europe’s e-waste problem is a burden on Africa
4. Transforming climate finance for debt-distressed economies during COVID-19
5. EC proposed Carbon Border Adjustment mechanism: Key considerations for Least Developed Countries
6. Ocean-Climate Nexus: A Blue-Carbon Pathway for West African States
7. The New Censorship: Why Protecting Journalists Online from Harassment is Critical to Press Freedom
8. Ghana given ‘Yellow Card’ by the European Commission following iWatch’s investigation on illegal fishing
9. How the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons (SALWs) is fueling conflicts in West Africa
10. Gideon Sarpong writes: Ghanaian women journalists face threats, abuse in carrying out mandate

Follow @iwatchafrica

The post READ: iWatch Africa’s Top 10 Reports in 2021 appeared first on iWatch Africa.

This year-long initiative seeks to influence policy decisions at the highest level of governance in Ghana and across the sub-region and will be a combination of virtual meetings and physical summits.

The theme for the maiden edition is; ‘’Navigating some critical sectors in 2021’ with guests sharing their expectations for the new year.

Co-founder of iWatch Africa, Gideon Sarpong believes that the dialogue series, “will be an important vehicle for talking through critical issues facing the region and finding areas of convergence for development.”

“I expect that these dialogue series would be an immersive experience with an end goal of designing practical blueprints across several domains for sustainable development,” he added.

The launch will be a virtual session and it is open to the public:

iWatch Africa is inviting you to the launch of its Policy Dialogue Series.

Topic: Navigating some critical sectors in 2021

Time: Saturday, January 16, 2021 02:00 PM GMT

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89608831830?pwd=N3p2TVlYV0k0cW90TDBkQ3YwZ0JEUT09

Meeting ID: 896 0883 1830

Passcode: 257197

Source: iWatch Africa | Follow @iwatchafrica

The post iWatch Africa to launch its 2021 ‘Policy Dialogue Series’ on Saturday, Jan 16 appeared first on iWatch Africa.

Through our project “Leveraging the Power of Data and Digital Tools to Stop Human Rights Abuse: iWatch Africa, Police and CHRAJ Collaboration,” iWatch Africa held a month-long town hall awareness meeting with motorists, commuters and the police. During the public engagement forums and review of the current PIPS structure, we found that over the years, several factors have coalesced to weaken the police oversight system thereby inhibiting the Police Service’s ability to effectively deal with complaints from the public concerning police misconduct and corruption.

The lapses identified include but not limited to; weak independence and transparency, obsolete operational and complaint system as well as financial constraints. These constraints, unfortunately, have impaired the quality of work of PIPS resulting in plummeted public trust and confidence in the Service’s ability to deal with police misconducts.

In 2017, ARAP, through its report titled, “Improving Professional Standards in the Ghana Police Service” came to a similar conclusion about PIPS. In particular, the report opined that “the mandate given to PIPS in 2005 has become obsolete, insofar as it refers to functions that the agency has never performed.”

iWatch Africa agrees with this findings and holds the position that PIPS’ mandate as defined by the Standing Order No 5 (2005) fall short of the international benchmark set by United Nations for independence, transparency and accountability needed in investigating complaints against police officers.

Moreover, the challenges of PIPS require fixing, given the impact the unit can have on police discipline in the country. iWatch holds that addressing the PIPS challenges mustn’t be ephemeral so as to minimise reform blips. However, from our thorough examination of the challenges confronting the current PIPS oversight model, iWatch Africa believes that altering the existing structure to meet the UN criteria of best practices would be herculean task after a decade of inefficiency and ineffectiveness.

iWatch Africa, therefore, proposes a Hybrid system that brings on board citizens on all matters relating to investigation and prosecution of police misconduct. The singular action, we think, would help restore rectitude of the service and public confidence in the ability and willingness of the police to deal with police misconducts. The “Police Citizen” approach offers the best value for money.

Hybrid Model – “Police Citizen” approach

The Hybrid Model (Civilian-Police) of police oversight utilises the expert and impartial knowledge of Citizens in investigating any police misconduct. The blend of Police and Citizen is expected to increase accountability, transparency and improve public confidence in the Service.  Ultimately, we hope that such an approach would enhance the integrity of Police Officers and policing in Ghana.  It’s also expected to bring visibility to how police deal with complaints about policing (receipt, investigation and follow-up).

The Police Service is a vital institution with responsibility under law to maintain public order and safety of persons and properties. In performing these duties, the interaction between the police and citizenry is a constant occurrence. Through our routine surveys, many of our constituents have alleged police corruption of one form or the other. Also, several CSOs have come to similar conclusions on alleged police corruption and abuse of power. This, we belief impugn the integrity of the police service, which is a threat to the rule of law and undermines Ghana’s democracy.

For instance, eighty percent of Ghanaians surveyed by Afrobarometer in 2017 had a negative perception of the police regarding abuse of power and corruption. Surveys published by the Ghana Integrity Initiative in 2017 cited the Police Service as the most corrupt institution in Ghana.

Enhancing police accountability and integrity is primarily meant to establish, restore or enhance public trust and (re-)build the legitimacy that is a prerequisite for effective policing in Ghana.

iWatch Africa, after a careful review of several police oversight institutions around the world, offers a distilled range of recommendations to the Parliamentary Select Committee on Security to lead the needed reforms in the police service.

We recommend that the core characteristic of our proposed Hybrid-Model should be ‘Independence.’ We suggest the following guidelines modelled after the United Nations Handbook on Police Accountability, Oversight and integrity.

Criteria for independence:

• Complete discretion in the exercise of functions or powers
• Statutory underpinning
• Reporting to the parliament
• Independent funding
• Transparent processes, based on merit, for the appointment of commissioners and staff, strict procedures for removal and fixed period in office.

The newly proposed model must be unambiguous in its mandate. As a minimum, the independent oversight body must do the following:

• Have the capacity to receive complaints directly from the public (as well as from members of the government)
• Record all complaints filed against police (whether submitted at the police station, police headquarters, prosecutor’s office or directly to the independent body)
• Have the capacity to start an investigation on its own initiative and prosecutorial powers.
• Have sufficient investigative powers to assess the case in hand, including:
• The power to hear any person and subpoena powers
• The power to obtain any information required, including the authority to access police dockets and to conduct searches and seizures
• The power to compel the presence of witnesses including the police
• The power to prosecute
• The capacity to offer witness protection
• Have the power to recommend further penal or disciplinary action
• Have the capacity to make recommendations for structural change, hence enabling the police to prevent the recurrence of misconduct
• Have the capacity to follow up on its recommendations.
• To publish its findings and recommendations, including the response received from the police bi-annually.
• To compel the police to disclose the reasons for not following up on the recommendations.
• To make public failure by the police to follow up on its recommendations.

Establishing an independent oversight structure must not be the last step. The structure must be monitored for both the quality of its service delivery and its impact on police performance so that it can identify problems and their causes and try to improve its performance. Effective police accountability involves many different actors representing the different layers of modern-day democracies, including government representatives, the parliament, the judiciary, civil society actors and independent oversight bodies such as CHRAJ. We must all play an active role to improve governance and promote police accountability in Ghana.

By Gideon Sarpong, & co-authored by Henry Kyeremeh | iWatch Africa

References:

Police Assessment Resource Center. Review of National Police Oversight Models for the Eugene Police Commission. Los Angeles: PARC, February, 2005.

Understanding Policing: A Resource for Human Rights Activists. Amsterdam: Amnesty International Nederland, 2006.

Handbook on police accountability, oversight and integrity: Criminal Justice Series. Vienna: The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Austria, 2011.

A Report on the Police Intelligence and Professional Standards Unit: Accountability. Accra: Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Program (ARAP) Ghana, 2017.

The post iWatch Africa calls for an overhaul of PIPS of the Ghana Police Service: Proposes ‘Police-Citizen’ approach to dealing with police misconduct appeared first on iWatch Africa.

Airbus, has confessed to paying bribes in Ghana and other countries between 2011 and 2015 in a corruption investigation of its business deals dating back more than a decade.

UK court documents reviewed by iWatch Africa show that Europe’s largest plane maker has been fined 3 billion pounds for greasing the palms of public officials and fixers over a string of hidden payments as part of a pattern of worldwide corruption to facilitate the sales of its wares.

Below is a step by step guide on details of the scheme that cost the Ghanaian taxpayer 3.9 million euros.

1. The unnamed government Official 1 was a key decision-maker in respect of the government of Ghana aircraft orders between 2009 to 2015.

2. The unnamed Intermediary 5 is a UK national born in Ghana. He migrated to the United Kingdom as a young child and lost touch with his Ghanaian family until the late 1990s. He had no prior experience or expertise in the aerospace industry. A “CV” provided to Airbus in 2011 listed his employment before 2009 as an events manager for a local authority, director of a football merchandising company and facilities manager for an estate management business.

3. Intermediary 5 was assisted in his Airbus work by two other UK nationals: Intermediary 6 and Intermediary 7(both unnamed). The two have no aerospace experience or expertise. A CV that Intermediary 6 provided to Airbus in 2011 listed his 2009 employment as a UK television Actor and Film Director. Intermediary 7 was also a former UK television actor.

4. Contact between Airbus and the Government of Ghana about aircraft sales began in June 2009 following an expression of interest by the Government of Ghana. By August 2009, a senior Airbus employee reported that he was in touch with Government Official 1 and ‘his team’.

5. Airbus employee 16 (unnamed) was the Spanish salesperson responsible for handling all the Ghana transactions.

6. On December 7, 2009, a company of Intermediary 5 and 6 (named Company D) was incorporated in Ghana. The company’s profile submitted by Intermediary 6 to Airbus in June 2011 stated that Intermediary 5 and Intermediary 6 were its directors.  A company of the same name was incorporated in the UK in February 2010. Company D was the corporate vehicle through which Intermediary 5 and his associates provided services to Airbus.

7. Using another intermediary company (intermediary 8) Airbus paid €3,850,115 to Company D as consultation fees for the first two aircraft. It, however, failed to an extra €1,675,000, it promised to pay Company D for the third aircraft.

8. From 2009, Intermediary 5 and his associates worked on the sales to the Government of Ghana without any written consultant agreement. This included liaison with Government Official 1 regarding the potential Airbus C-295 sale.

9. In January 2011, Government Official 1, intermediaries 5 and 6 met in London. It was at this meeting that Airbus C-295 was agreed upon as the most suitable aircraft for the Government of Ghana’s needs. This was reported to Airbus.

10. By April 2011 Airbus employee 16 reported to his Airbus colleagues that the deal was close to being finalised. Airbus employee 16 then asked Intermediary 5 and Intermediary 6 to transmit a letter to Government Official 1 and explain a possible delay. Airbus employee 16 also asked them to secure meetings with the Ghanaian Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Finance.

11. Company D submitted a formal business partnership (BP) application in May 2011. On July 8, 2011, Intermediary 6 sent a senior Airbus employee 15 a ‘[Company D] update’. He reported that he had just returned from Ghana “having had very productive meetings with all parties.

12. Following the May 2011, BP application, Airbus commissioned an external due diligence report on Company D. The resulting report dated September 302011 identified Intermediary 5 as a shareholder and the possibility that he was a close relative of Government Official 1.

13. The external due diligence report raised concerns that there was a risk of nonconformity with the  Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Convention, which set corporate governance benchmarks to reduce global corruption.

14. On 3 August 2011, Airbus’ Spanish Defence Subsidiary and the government of Ghana signed a purchase agreement for the sale of the two C-295 aircraft.

15. The consultant agreement between Intermediary 8 and Airbus was dated 20 March 2012 but said to be effective from January 1, 2010.

16. The agreement provided for a percentage commission fee of the net total amount received by Airbus under any commercial contract with the Government of Ghana for C-295 aircraft.

17. Between March 2012 and February 2014, Airbus paid Intermediary 8 a total of €3,909,756.85, a sum over the agreed commission amount as per the ECA declaration (€3,001,718.15).

18 . Between 10 April 2012 and 31 July 2013 Intermediary 8 paid €3,850,115 to Company D. Intermediary 8 retained about €60,000.

19. Between 2012 and 2013 Airbus attempted to arrange the sale of two further C295 aircraft to an Irish aircraft finance leasing company for onward use by the government of Ghana.

20. The first two military aircraft arrived in Ghana on November 17, 2011, and March 19, 2012

21. After the failure of this lease campaign, the government of Ghana decided to purchase a third C-295 direct from Airbus. This arrived on December 4, 2015, but company D did not benefit financially from it as Airbus refused to pay the promised kickback.

By Gideon Sarpong | iWatch Africa

The post A step by step account of how Airbus paid bribes to Ghanaian officials appeared first on iWatch Africa.

One of such intervention is the “Together Against Corruption” (TAC) project which is building citizens awareness on police corruption and also supporting the police administration to be more responsive to corruption allegation against their fellow police officers. The TAC is a two-year project and is implemented by Socioserve-Ghana, JMK and iWatch Africa with support from Star Ghana Foundation and is being implemented in five districts of Upper Manya Krobo/Assesewa District, Akwapim North/Akropong District and Yilo Krobo/Somanya District. The rests are Ho West/Peki District and Anyawiase District and North Tongo/Aveyime District.

The funding support for the project comes from the European Union (EU), Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), United Kingdom Aid (UKaid) under the Department for International Development (DFID). Since the inception of the project, a series of engagements between the police, citizens of the project catchment area and the project facilitators to ensure the objectives of the project are realised have been carried out. These objectives included; providing expert education on rights and responsibilities of citizens and the police alike, build the capacity of police officers on anti-corruption measures, nudging police and citizens to take reporting of corruption case seriously, and also encourage frequent engagements between police and citizens to foster convivial relations in the project catchment areas.

The project has also conducted several surveys and studies. The findings have been staggering. For instance, between January to April 2019, the project conducted a study dubbed “Monitoring Acts of Corruption on Roads” in Akwapim North, Upper Manya, Yilo Krobo, Ho West and North Tongu. The study was to ascertain why drivers offer monies to police when they are stopped on the road. The findings were in three main categories. Majority of the respondents circa 82% indicated they pay bribes to the police to avoid wasting time on the road.

The next reason is quite fascinating. Many of the drivers (10%) also alluded to the need to build a good relationship with the police as the reason why they pay money to the police when they get stopped on the road. This reason finds roots in the sociology of the Ghanaian where the sense of “community and belonging” overshadows legal regimes and standard protocols of governance at different strata of society. The next reason was that many of the drivers feared that if they do not pay a bribe, they will be processed for the court.

The main course for which drivers get stopped, according to the study is overloading and open boots. The drivers also held that bribe-taking on the roads for the reporting period reduced slightly. They paid bribes ranging between GHC2.00 to GHC200.00. Surprisingly, the drivers were not ready to change the behaviours, which result in them getting stopped by the police. Perhaps, the intransigence of the drivers is fueled by the polices’ non-refusal of bribes when offered them.

What has been nifty and bliss-point of the project is the community engagements. The project has organised several of such engagements. Through this meeting, the project has brought the communities closer to the police. They have understood the standard operations of the police and also become more aware of their responsibilities in their communities in the fight against corruption. The police, on the other hand, have also appreciated the dynamics of the societies they operate in, and that has positively impacted their approach to the conduct of their duties. In such engagements, the frankness in views expressed by the stakeholder has helped ease the wrong perception each held about the other.

The principal of citizens abiding by the laws of Ghana has resonated in all the community fora, and the assurances from the community leaders in this direction are refreshing. Through such engagements, the communities have also been empowered to report police officers to their superiors anytime the individual feels his/her rights have been violated. Reporting modes, including police hotlines, have been provided to the communities. Importantly, the communities have been made aware of the support independent governance institutions like CHRAJ and NCCE can provide them in confronting the police anytime their rights are trampled upon.

The TAC project is changing perceptions and helping to restore confidence in Ghana police service. These commendable feet, the project anticipates, will not be ephemeral. The often trumped-up stories against police, the project expect will reduce to nadir levels by close of the project. Moreover, the police will no longer be seen as the most corrupt in the country when the gains made under the project are sustained. The project expects that citizen-police engagements be instituted by the police hierarchy to fortify and deepen trust among communities and the police.

By Henry Kyeremeh | iWatch Africa

The post TAC Project changing citizens’ perception of police appeared first on iWatch Africa.

The project review meeting brought together key stakeholders and partner agencies including Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice, National Commission for Civic Education, Ghana Integrity Initiative, Ghana Anticorruption Coalition, the Ghana Police Service, MMDCEs, Transport Unions, Drivers, Opinion Leaders and the Media.

The review meeting touched on the progress and challenges of the project since its inception in April 2018 to date.

John Obuaba who is the Project Coordinator, in presenting the Project Update, reiterated the fact that, the purpose of the Together Against Corruption project is not to name and shame but rather to work together as citizens and police to eliminate acts of corruption in our engagements.

The aim of the project is to build citizens capacity to fight corruption in their engagements with the Police and also to increase the responsiveness of the Police Administration to cases it corruption involving police officers and citizens.

Mr. Obuaba took the panel through key activities implemented in the 1^st year and presented updates on the 5^th quarter of the project- activities which included conducting a baseline survey on acts of corruption involving the police and drivers/citizens, building the capacity of project implementers on anti-corruption, organizing orientation workshops for citizen groups on anti-corruption and organizing the same workshop for police officers from all the 5 project districts.

The activities also included training of volunteers for road monitoring survey, formation of anticorruption advocacy committees in each district and police engagement on anti-corruption through radio.

He further took the panel through the 5th quarter activities which had to do with introducing anti-corruption advocacy committees to key stakeholders, police-driver engagements on traffic regulations, police-citizens engagement on community policing, radio engagements on key topics, road monitoring surveys and social media campaigns on anti-corruption.

iWatchAfrica’s Philip Banini who moderated of the program took the panel through the Projects Social media activities and handles to follow for regular updates and online engagement.

Yahya Ahmed who is the General Manager of JMK Consulting in presenting the road monitoring survey in the 5 selected districts revealed that issues involving taking bribe on the roads have not reduced significantly across the 5 selected districts surveyed.

He also intimated that, the survey on the roads revealed that commuters are unwilling to address traffic violations especially ‘open boots and ‘overloading’ and will instead bribe their way through.

Read Also: EC sale of voters’ data to a private company is a breach of Data Protection laws in Ghana

He recommended that the project implementers re-engage the police command to present specific officers demanding bribery on the roads for sanctions.

Reacting to the findings of the road monitoring survey, Mrs. Beauty Emefa Narteh of Ghana Anti-corruption Coalition, stressed on need for a collective effort from all stakeholders including the police and transport unions to combat corruption as it is negatively affecting the country’s reputation.

The main concern from the Police service is the need for resources and logistics to be provided to them to eliminate the desire to be drawn towards accepting bribes from commuters will fall foul of the law.

by Justice Kumordzi | iWatch Africa

The post ‘Together Against Corruption’ Project stakeholders meeting held at Star Villa Hotel appeared first on iWatch Africa.

Below are key findings of a Baseline study conducted as part of the TAC project.

Design by iWatch Africa

The post Key findings of the TAC Baseline Study [Infographic] appeared first on iWatch Africa.

It is the first time the police and the community held a dialog on matters arising in the community as far as rule of law and security is concerned. Some issues raised by community members had to do with police corruption on the roads through extortion of drivers and also corruption in the discharge of cases brought to them in their offices.
The police also lamented the phenomena of ‘big men’ or people with influence interfering with the discharge of justice. The opinion leaders of the community assured the police that citizens will be law abiding and will refrain from taking matters into their own hands to reduce tensions and conflicts involving community members and the police.

The community members were encouraged to be bold in reporting police officers who misconduct themselves through appropriate channels and were also given a special number to call to assist police in investigations and reporting crimes.

Read Also: Overview of the ‘Together Against Corruption’ Project [infographic]

The forum brought great relief to the people and also served as a bridge between the citizens and the police in the Somanya district. Speaking to iWatch Africa, the Police commander of the Somanya district ACP Isaac Otsin applauded the organizers of the forum for bringing them closer to the people. He insisted that the gap between citizens and police in the district has been bridged by 70%, adding that subsequent meetings will greatly improve the relationship between the two factions to the benefit of the entire district. This he beliefs will help the police in the discharge of their mandate and help to protect lives and property.

Below are some pictures:

By Justice Kumordzi | iWatch Africa

The post Citizen-Police forum held in Somanya District as part of the TAC project appeared first on iWatch Africa.