A bombshell report by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has sent shockwaves across the country, exposing the top 10 public institutions where officials are most likely to take bribes. The findings paint a disturbing picture of entrenched corruption, with the Police Service dominating the rankings.
According to the report, the Motor Traffic & Transport Division (MTTD) emerged as the most bribery-prone institution in Ghana, with a staggering 51.9% of respondents reporting they had paid a bribe to its officials.
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The General Duties Police Department followed closely at 37.4%, cementing the Police Service’s grip on the top spots. Citizens interviewed expressed frustration, with one driver saying,
“It’s almost impossible to get through a checkpoint without somebody hinting at ‘something small.’ It has become normal, and that is the scary part.”
The scandal doesn’t end with the police. Other critical public institutions also recorded shockingly high bribery rates:
Passport Office — 29.9%
City Guard (Traffic Management Authority) — 28.9%
Ghana Ports & Harbours Authority (GHAPOHA) — 28.0%
Births & Deaths Registry — 23.8%
Forestry Commission — 23.7%
Food & Drugs Authority (FDA) — 22.2%
DVLA — 20.2%
Police CID — 19.9%
The revelations have fueled calls for urgent reforms, with citizens demanding accountability and the government under pressure to crack down on corruption hotspots that have become cash machines for public officials.
The Ghana Statistical Service insists that the study should trigger decisive action.