Addis Ababa - Dr Tony Aidoo, Head of the Evaluation and Oversight Unit of the Office of the President, has been elected member of the 11-member African Union (AU) Advisory Board on Corruption.

He scored 73 per cent at the first voting, after a marathon meeting of the AU Executive Council on the sidelines of the AU summit underway at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Dr Aidoo's application was accepted and given the nod based on his pedigree, lobbying by Ghana's mission in Ethiopia and the improvement in economic and democratic credentials of the Government back home.

Government, under the Mills Administration, has been commended by different international bodies for the bold steps to reduce corruption. Dr Aidoo would serve for a renewable two-year period together with ten others appointed from other countries in Africa.

The countries are Kenya, Algeria, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mali, Tanzania, South Africa and Senegal.

The Board members were elected by the AU Executive Council, serving for a period of two years, renewable once. The Board has broad responsibilities of promoting anti-corruption work, collecting information on corruption and the behaviour of multinational corporations operating in Africa, developing methodologies, advising governments, developing codes of conduct for public officials and building partnerships.

In addition, it is required to submit a report to the Executive Council on a regular basis on the progress made by each State Party in complying with the provisions of the AU Convention.

At the same time, States Parties are required to report to the Board on their progress in implementing the AU Convention within a year after the coming into force of the AU Convention and thereafter on an annual basis through reports by national anti-corruption authorities to the Board.

Further, State Parties are required to ensure and provide for the participation of civil society in the monitoring process.