Bagbin Launches National Integrity Awards to Promote Honesty and Ethical Leadership

Speaker of Parliament Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has launched the National Integrity Awards Scheme, describing it as a major national initiative aimed at promoting honesty, ethical leadership and restoring public confidence in governance.

The awards scheme, unveiled at Parliament House on Monday, seeks to recognise individuals and institutions that demonstrate integrity, accountability and selfless service while inspiring a culture of ethical leadership across the country.

Speaking at the launch, Bagbin said Ghana’s future depends not only on strong institutions and sound policies but also on the values the nation chooses to uphold.

“Today, we are making a national statement: Ghana must be a nation in which honesty is celebrated, ethical leadership is valued, accountability is a given, and integrity is treated not as an ornament of public life but as its foundation,” he stated.

The event brought together representatives from the Presidency, the Judiciary, Parliament, the security services, Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), the diplomatic corps and civil society organisations.

Held under the theme “Promoting Integrity, Celebrating Ethical Leadership, and Inspiring National Development,” the ceremony highlighted the need to reward integrity while tackling corruption.

Bagbin acknowledged that although Ghana has made democratic progress under the Fourth Republic, challenges such as corruption, abuse of office, conflicts of interest and weak enforcement continue to undermine public trust.

“We cannot only condemn corruption; we must also honour integrity. We cannot only punish wrongdoing; we must also celebrate what is right,” he said.

He noted that the awards initiative builds on recommendations from the 1998 Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) Integrity Conference and the 2015 National Anti-Corruption Action Plan, bringing years of discussions into practical implementation.

The Speaker also highlighted reforms introduced under his leadership in Parliament, including the establishment of an Ethics and Standards Committee, the appointment of a Commissioner for Ethics and Standards, and the creation of a Legal and Governance Services Division with dedicated anti-corruption and investigative units.

According to Bagbin, the National Integrity Awards will honour outstanding individuals and institutions from the Executive, Legislature, Judiciary, security services, private sector, media, civil society and whistle-blowers for exemplary ethical conduct.

The scheme will also introduce a “Vulture Award” to spotlight actions that undermine integrity and the public interest. He stressed, however, that the category would be administered fairly and within the bounds of the law.

Bagbin appealed to President John Dramani Mahama and other state institutions to elevate the National Integrity Awards to the same national significance as National Farmers’ Day and the National Best Teacher Awards.

He further urged Ghanaians across the country to actively nominate deserving individuals and organisations.

Retired Supreme Court Justice William Anaam Atuguba now chairs the National Integrity Awards Committee, having succeeded Speaker Bagbin earlier this month.

Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, who endorsed the initiative, described integrity as “the willingness to pay the price for doing what is right.”

He noted that while integrity often requires personal sacrifice, corruption imposes a far greater cost on society and expressed hope that the awards would grow into a national movement that inspires future generations.