Ghana Statistical Service data reveals 18.4% of citizens paid bribes for public services in 2024, with traffic police emerging as the most corrupt institution.
The inaugural Governance Series report shows six in ten individuals interacting with Motor Traffic and Transport Department officers paid bribes, significantly higher than general police (46.7%) and criminal investigators (37.9%). Only the Minerals Commission recorded zero bribery incidents.
Urban males constituted 77.4% of bribe-givers, with 15.6% paying over GH¢1,000. Disturbingly, 22.4% of unemployed citizens paid bribes exceeding GH¢1,000, while persons with physical disabilities faced a 40.1% bribery rate.
Cash payments dominated 85.2% of transactions, and 74.9% of bribes were explicitly solicited by officials. Despite the prevalence, merely 14.5% of incidents were reported to authorities.
Regional disparities placed Greater Accra (22%) and Ashanti (18.1%) as highest bribery regions, contrasting with sub-2% rates in Savannah and North East. Government Statistician Dr. Alhassan Iddrisu termed the findings a “call to action” for evidence-based reforms, noting the data establishes a baseline for tracking Sustainable Development Goal 16.5 on corruption reduction. The biannual survey will monitor progress ahead of Ghana’s July 2025 Voluntary National Review at the UN.
