The Obuasi East Municipal Directorate of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has organized a civic engagement forum to empower women to actively participate in the fight against corruption.
The forum, which brought together women from various communities and other community leaders, was held on the theme: “Strengthening the Rule of Law and the fight against corruption.”
Madam Jennifer Ofori, the Municipal Director of the NCCE, who led the discussions, emphasized the importance of equipping women with knowledge of their civic rights and legal protections.
She said the engagement was designed to help women understand the principles of the rule of law and give them confidence to speak out against corruption.
According to her, corruption, in many forms, undermined social justice and national development, adding that empowering women to report corrupt cases was essential to building a good and accountable society.
The initiative was funded by the European Union (EU) and the German Development Cooperation (GIZ).
Madam Ofori noted that many women, especially those working in the informal sector, interacted regularly with public officials but often lacked access to civic education.
This, she said, made them more vulnerable to corrupt practices and unaware of accountability mechanisms.
“Women experience corruption differently than men, especially in accessing public services, facing sexual exploitation,” she noted.
The NCCE Director encouraged the participants to serve as agents of change in their communities by promoting transparency and accountability.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Benedicta Okyerewaa Biney, the Divisional Police Commander, Obuasi Tutuka, underscored the importance of integrity in both public service and community life.
She noted that transparency and accountability were key to national development, and urged the women to uphold honesty and transparency in their daily activities and served as watchdogs in their various communities.
She charged the participants to develop the habit of reporting cases of abuse, corruption and violations without fear, assuring them of protection.
GNA
