GSS Report Exposes Widespread Bribery in Public Services
The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) released its Governance Series Wave 1 Report on May 28, 2025, revealing that 18.4% of Ghanaians who interacted with public officials in 2024 paid bribes, primarily in cash. The survey, conducted via Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing with 7,248 respondents across Ghana’s 16 regions, found 55.7% had contact with officials.
Bribery was most prevalent among men (77.4%), urban residents (61.9%), and those aged 35–49, with tertiary or junior high school graduates more likely to pay. The unemployed faced significant burdens, with 22.4% paying over GH¢1,000. Among persons with disabilities, 21% reported bribery, rising to 40.1% for those with physical impairments.
The Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service recorded the highest bribery rate at 60%, followed by general duties police (46.7%) and the Criminal Investigations Department (37.9%). Greater Accra reported the highest regional incidence at 22%, while Savannah and North East had the lowest at 1.0% and 1.1%, respectively.
Cash dominated bribes at 85.2%, with 74.9% directly solicited by officials. Only 14.5% of incidents were reported, mainly in urban areas. The GSS plans bi-annual surveys to track trends, with findings informing Ghana’s Sustainable Development Goals review in July 2025.
Government Statistician Dr. Alhassan Iddrisu called the report a “call to action” for data-driven anti-corruption reforms, emphasizing the need to empower citizens and reduce corruption in public service delivery to strengthen governance.