A new report by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has uncovered a stark gender disparity in bribery across public institutions in Ghana. According to the Governance Series Wave 1, nearly 7 in 10 bribery cases (68.3%) involved men—more than twice the rate among women (31.7%).
The study, conducted through phone interviews with 7,248 respondents across all 16 regions, found that 55.7% of Ghanaians had contact with public officials in 2024. Of those, 18.4% admitted to offering gifts or bribes to receive services.
The most common form of bribery? Cold, hard cash—accounting for a staggering 85.2% of all illicit gifts. Other forms included food, drinks, or animals (9.0%), exchanged services (4.4%), and valuables (1.4%).
Urban areas were hotspots for corruption, with 64.3% of cases reported there, especially in Greater Accra and Ashanti. Rural areas accounted for 35.7%, with Savannah and North East recording the fewest cases.
Worryingly, the report also highlighted that vulnerable groups, including those with physical and visual disabilities, are disproportionately affected by bribery, raising serious concerns about fairness and accessibility in public services.
The findings support Ghana’s efforts to track progress on UN Sustainable Development Goal Indicator 16.5.1, which focuses on reducing corruption and bribery in all forms.
