GSS Report: 68.3% of bribery cases in Ghana involve men

A new report from the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) reveals important findings. It shows that men are more likely than women to pay bribes when dealing with public offices.

The report is part of the Governance Series Wave 1. It noted that 55.7% of Ghanaians interacted with public officials in 2024. Nearly one in six people, or 18.4%, admitted to giving gifts for services.

The study surveyed 7,248 people across all 16 regions of Ghana through phone interviews. This research supports Ghana’s efforts to monitor bribery under SDG Indicator 16.5.1.

Men accounted for 68.3% of bribery cases, while women made up only 31.7%. The data highlights the ongoing issue of corruption in public service delivery.

It suggests that men engage more with institutions and are likelier to pay bribes for services. The report shows that cash is the most common item given as a bribe, making up 85.2% of all gifts.

Other items include food, drinks, or animals at 9%, exchange services at 4.4%, and valuables at 1.4%. This indicates that cash bribes dominate unofficial payments in public interactions.

Bribery was more common in urban areas, where it accounted for 64.3% of cases compared to rural areas at 35.7%. The Greater Accra and Ashanti regions had the highest levels of bribery.

In contrast, the Savannah and North East regions reported the lowest levels. The report also noted that vulnerable groups face higher rates of bribery, raising equity concerns in accessing public services.