Prof Ali-Nakyea urges legal reforms to address corruption and illicit wealth at MFWA forum.
Ali-Nakyea further expressed concern over Ghana’s weak legal provisions on conflict of interest, pointing out that public officials often transition into private entities they previously oversaw without consequence
Associate Professor of Tax Law and Policy at the University of Ghana School of Law, Prof. Abdallah Ali-Nakyea, has called for urgent reforms to Ghana’s legal and accountability systems to tackle entrenched corruption and illicit financial flows.
Speaking at a multistakeholder forum organised by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) under the theme “Hidden Riches, Hollow Laws: Dissecting the Loopholes That Fuel Corruption in Ghana,” Prof. Ali-Nakyea delivered a keynote address that pulled no punches.
“We continue to absorb the cost of inefficiencies,” he said, citing housing estates with illegal utility connections and institutions that evade scrutiny.
“If we don’t chase accountability, people will continue doing it—because others will always pay for their actions.”
He referenced incidents in Cantonments, Madina, and Rehoboth Estates, where residents reportedly accessed state utilities without payment and, in some cases, profited by illegally reselling water.
Ali-Nakyea further expressed concern over Ghana’s weak legal provisions on conflict of interest, pointing out that public officials often transition into private entities they previously oversaw without consequence.
“That clearly exposes a loophole in our laws. If the rules worked, that wouldn’t happen.”
Linking the discussion to global anti-corruption efforts, he cited the Panama Papers and IMF estimates that place global annual losses from corruption at between US$1.5 and US$2 trillion.
“We need leadership to act. Start from the top—fry the big fish, not just the herrings. It’s time to go after the major players,” he said.
He also criticised how offenses such as illegal mining (galamsey) are classified under Ghanaian law.
“If galamsey is killing people by poisoning water bodies, then treat it like murder. Let the law reflect that—and the courts will respond accordingly.”
The forum, held at Alisa Hotel in Accra, also featured a high-level panel discussion on laws governing unexplained wealth and illicit financial flows.
Panelists included:
- Sedina Gbeve, Senior Legal Officer and Prosecutor, EOCO
- Lucy Abebrese, Head of Compliance, Financial Intelligence Centre
- Michael Boadi, Fundraising Manager, Ghana Integrity Initiative
Ali-Nakyea closed his address by urging better support for anti-corruption investigations and institutions like the Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) task force.
“We must move beyond hearsay. Investigators need tools, training, and legal clarity to deliver results. Without those, we’re just circling the problem,” he said.
Report by Elizabeth Akyewaa Yeboah for Asaase News in Greater Accra
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