Anti-Corruption Framework for the Ghana Police Service Reform

Abstract

Corruption remains a pervasive challenge within the Ghana Police Service (GPS), undermining public trust and institutional legitimacy. Despite past reforms, including salary increases, corruption persists, manifesting as bribery, extortion, and case brokering due to systemic pressures, opportunities, and rationalisations embedded in organisational culture. This chapter proposes an anti-corruption framework for GPS reform, integrating new public management (NPM) principles and Cressey’s Fraud Triangle to address structural, cultural, and psychological dimensions of corruption. The framework adopts a ‘palace’ metaphor, with trust and legitimacy as its crown, supported by pillars including new values and norms, meritocracy, disclosure and reporting, rules and procedures, and digitalisation. Foundational elements include capacity building, recruitment, and acknowledgement of corruption. Challenges such as political resistance, capacity gaps, and entrenched patrimonial norms are acknowledged, but opportunities exist through Ghana’s National Anti-Corruption Action Plan (NACAP), digitalisation, and civil society engagement. The chapter advocates for pilot testing and longitudinal research to refine the framework, emphasising holistic, culturally attuned reforms to restore GPS integrity and public confidence. Show more