Senior lawyer and Vice President of IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil, has argued that Ghana’s persistent bribery problem cannot be solved simply by increasing the salaries of public officials.
According to him, bribery has evolved into a deeply rooted cultural and systemic problem, fuelled not only by the actions of individuals but also by the way government services are designed and delivered.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, August 8, 2026, Mr Bentil said efforts to fight corruption must go beyond improving remuneration for public sector workers.
He maintained that Ghana must combine strict enforcement of anti-corruption laws with reforms that reduce unnecessary human interaction between citizens and government officials.
“It has always been there, but what have we done about it?” he asked.
“We have generated a culture of bribery and it’s not about people’s salary. It’s a culture of bribery.”
Depersonalising government services
Mr Bentil identified the depersonalisation and digitisation of government services as one of the most practical ways Ghana can reduce opportunities for bribery.
He explained that corruption often thrives when citizens are required to interact directly with officials who have discretionary power over access to public services.
According to him, eliminating unnecessary face-to-face interactions through efficient digital platforms could significantly reduce opportunities for officials to demand or solicit unofficial payments.
“The thing that creates a bribery opportunity is when you are forced to go before the person, and more or less, they also behave as if they are doing you a favour,” he said.
He argued that government must redesign its systems in ways that make services more transparent, predictable and less dependent on personal connections.
Ghana Card can help reduce corruption
Mr Bentil said Ghana already possesses the technological infrastructure needed to make significant progress in this area, particularly through the Ghana Card and digital identification systems.
“It starts with Ghana Card. It starts with identifying who is a citizen or not, properly categorised,” he said.
He suggested that essential public services, including applications for driver’s licences and passports, should increasingly be completed online, with citizens only required to appear physically where absolutely necessary.
“If you need a driver’s licence, it should be possible to go on the website, fill in the information, put whatever you need to put there, and for them to deal with it and mail it to you,” he said.
“I have seen that happen elsewhere. It wasn’t rocket science.”
He said the same approach could be applied to passport applications and other government services.
“If you need a passport, if you have a Ghana Card, it should be possible to solve this,” he added.
Reduce opportunities, not just punish offenders
Mr Bentil stressed that Ghana’s anti-corruption strategy should not focus exclusively on punishing individuals after bribery has occurred.
He said authorities must also address the systems and processes that create opportunities for corrupt transactions in the first place.
“If you have to give me a driver’s licence, and I can go on a website and put my information there, give you my other bona fides, you can check and find out it’s me — and everything — I don’t have to come to you,” he said.
“And in many places, it happens. And I’m telling you, today, with Ghana Card, we have the opportunity to do that.”
His comments come amid renewed concerns about bribery and corruption within Ghana’s public institutions, with the Ghana Police Service, particularly the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), frequently cited in discussions about bribery involving public officials.
For Mr Bentil, the long-term solution requires Ghana to change both individual attitudes and the institutional systems that facilitate corrupt practices.
He believes a combination of digitalisation, stronger enforcement, greater transparency and reduced discretionary interaction between citizens and public officials could help weaken the culture of bribery and improve public confidence in government services.
Ultimately, he argued, Ghana must move from a system where citizens depend on personal relationships or face-to-face encounters to access basic services to one where technology, clear procedures and accountability determine how public services are delivered.
