General News of Thursday, 22 October 2009

Source: GNA

Corruption in the Judiciary is rife - Report

Amasaman (GAR), Oct. 22, GNA - A validation report presented by the Ga West Municipal (GWM) Oversight Committee of the African Peer Review (APRM) Mechanism Governing Council, at Amasaman on Thursday said corruption in the Judiciary was rife. It said "paying bribes to influence justice and judicial decisions is still common".

The report, based on 200 questionnaires for people from 8 years and above between September 14 - October 6, this year, at the local level to collate views on governance and solicit opinions to improve. Reports country-wide would be incorporated and presented at the next=

African Union Summit for peer review under the APRM concept. It said the Ghana Police Service and Customs Excise and Preventive Service were the most corrupt public institutions while the Ghana Armed Forces and the Ghana Education Service remained the least corrupt institutions. The report said access to quality health care was low while there w= as improvement in access to education and potable water, and child labour wa= s low within the municipality. Reverend Professor Samuel Adjepong, Chairman of APRM Governing Counc= il, commended the research teams for ensuring that the people had access to governance in the country.