Browsing by Author "Amagnya, Moses Agaawena"

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    Can We Truly Find a Solution to Ghana's Corruption Problem?
    (Routledge, 2022-08-29) Amagnya, Moses Agaawena; Akinlabi, Oluwagbenga Michael
    Corruption, as a concept, is widely held to erode government legitimacy and the commitment of political actors and civil workers to serve the public. As a result, several countries are attempting to combat corruption through legislative reform and the establishment of anti-corruption institutions. Ghana, for example, established an Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) in 2018 to provide new chances to combat corruption and strengthen Ghana’s constitution-enshrined accountability. Indeed, some Ghanaians see the OSP as a cure-all for the country’s corruption. However, law reforms and new organisations established to combat corruption frequently fail to provide credible outcomes. Are there any contextual or systemic factors that could affect the OSP’s effectiveness to combat corruption in Ghana? Using a face-to-face qualitative interview, this article examines perceptions of officials in Ghana’s criminal justice and anti-corruption agency. The findings indicated that political interferences and resource constraints are critical elements affecting the OSP’s operation and effectiveness. The most important takeaway from this study is that instead of enacting new laws and establishing new offices, authorities should strengthen existing institutions through adequate resourcing and legal empowerment. Furthermore, a special prosecutor’s office should be established and empowered to deal with corruption without external interference.
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    Challenges of police prosecution in the Global South
    (Routledge, 2022-09-14) Amagnya, Moses Agaawena
    Challenges of police prosecution in the Global South: perspectives of Ghanaian Police Officers Justice administration in most common-law countries, especially in the Global South, relies significantly on police-led prosecution of criminal cases. However, there are concerns that police-led prosecutions are characterised by challenges that can generate injustice. Therefore, this chapter uses interview data from police prosecutors and observations of court proceedings to examine police-led prosecution practices in Ghana, a country in the Global South. The results show that police prosecutors pay little attention to the vital role of pre-trial conferencing with complainants, witnesses, and accused persons. Also, police prosecution in Ghana faces serious challenges, including lack of pre-trial procedural uniformity and clarity, inadequate training and professional development, and lawyers verbally abusing prosecutors. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the implication of the results for police prosecution and justice administration.
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    Community-based management of acute malnutrition: Implementation quality, and staff and user satisfaction with services.
    (Elsevier, 2023-02-17) Akuu, Joshua A.; Amagnya, Moses Agaawena
    Malnutrition is a global public health problem. According to the 2016 Global Nutrition Report, approximately 2 billion and 800 million people have micronutrient and caloric deficiencies, respectively.1 The report further indicates that 159 million children under the age of 5 years are too short for their age (stunted growth), 50 million are underweight for their height (wasted), and 41 million are overweight.1 Malnutrition generally refers to deficiencies, excesses, or imbalances in a person's energy and nutrient intake.2 Malnutrition and its complications account for approximately half of all child deaths worldwide.3 The seriousness of malnutrition has led to several global efforts and interventions to address this health problem.4
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    Corruption in Ghana’ s Justice System in the Eyes of Police Officers
    (IntechOpen, 2023-11-07) Amagnya, Moses Agaawena
    Corruption is a topical issue worldwide, particularly when criminal justice systems and institutions that ensure compliance with the law and play a key role in controlling corruption are affected. Research shows that citizens in developing countries in Africa and elsewhere perceived criminal justice institutions in their countries, especially the police and judiciary, as among the most corrupt public institutions. However, little research has considered the views of criminal justice officials themselves when it comes to corruption in criminal justice systems. Through a survey of 616 Ghanaian police officers, this study examines police officers' views of corruption in Ghana’s criminal justice system. Descriptive statistical analyses were conducted to ascertain police officers views of the nature, prevalence, levels, and initiators of corruption. A key finding is that police officers perceive corruption as prevalent in Ghana’s criminal justice system and a serious problem. In addition, high public perceptions of corruption in the police and judiciary recorded in public perception surveys are corroborated by this study. Consistent with prior studies, lawyers, suspects/accused persons, and other judicial officers were identified as common initiators of corruption in the justice system. However, contrary to previous studies, many police officers stated that corruption in criminal justice institutions in Ghana has decreased over the past 5 years. The chapter concludes that leaders of criminal justice institutions should desist from denying corruption allegations and research that find their institutions among the most corrupt. Such denials appear to be influencing officers in the front line. Rather, efforts should be made to address the perception or reality of corruption in criminal justice institutions.
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    Due process in police-led prosecutions: Views of Ghanaian police prosecutors
    (Sage, 2022-03-31) Amagnya, Moses Agaawena
    Criminal prosecutions led by police officers are integral to justice delivery in some common-law countries. The cooperation and participation of interested parties, particularly victims and witnesses, are important for successful prosecutions because most police prosecutors are not lawyers. Prosecutors adherence to due process when handling cases can secure parties’ willing cooperation and participation. However, is due processes followed during police-led prosecutions of criminal cases? This study uses interview data from police prosecutors to explore police-led prosecutions in Ghana. Results show that police prosecutors do not pay significant attention to pre-trial conferencing with disputed parties. In addition, prosecutors non-adherence to due process is aggravated by irregular training and professional development, inadequate professional competence, and lack of pre-trial procedural uniformity and clarity. Finally, the article discusses the implication of the results for theory and police prosecution policies.
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    Factors Affecting Education in the Builsa District of Northern Ghana
    (Taylor and Francis, 2019-07-31) Amagnya, Moses Agaawena
    Education is important for the successful development and growth of individuals and societies, yet some factors adversely affect its provision. This article reports on a study that explored the factors that adversely affect education in the Builsa District located in the Upper East Region (UER) of Northern Ghana, by examining the attitudes and concerns of the people in Chuchuliga regarding education. Surveys were administered to students, parents/guardians and head teachers, and interviews and focus group discussions were held with opinion leaders and school dropouts, respectively. A striking finding was that the Tono Irrigation Dam located at Navrongo and farming, which is the predominant economic activity, negatively affect education in the community. Further findings were that the late introduction of education in Northern Ghana and traditional beliefs about education, as well as other long-established factors are responsible for high illiteracy and school-dropout rates. Recommendations to improve the quality of education in the district and country are discussed.
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    Patterns and Prevalence of Corruption in Ghana's Criminal Justice System
    (Routledge, 2022-08-29) Amagnya, Moses Agaawena
    This chapter discusses patterns and prevalence of corruption within Ghana’s criminal justice system (CJS). Corruption is a topical issue across the world, with its prevalence having serious consequences for policing, rule of law, security, and development of nations. This is particularly so when CJSs or institutions that are to ensure compliance with the law and, in some cases, control or prevent corruption are affected themselves. Several studies have reported that citizens of developing countries in Africa and elsewhere perceived their countries’ criminal justice institutions, especially the police and judiciary, to be the most corrupt public institutions. However, little research has considered the views of criminal justice officials themselves regarding corruption within CJSs or institutions. The current study explores the prevalence or concentration of corruption within Ghana’s CJS by interviewing 45 criminal justice personnel and 15 anti-corruption officials across three regions: Greater Accra, Ashanti, and Upper East. Results show that majority of participants perceived corruption as a serious problem and most prevalent in the police compared to the judiciary and Attorney-General’s Department. In addition, the most perceived corrupt criminal justice process was the bail granting stage. The implications of these findings are discussed.
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    Police officers’ assessments of factors that contribute to police corruption in Ghana
    (Emerald, 2024-11-29) Amagnya, Moses Agaawena; Akinlabi, Oluwagbenga Michael; Oluwatosin Bello, Paul
    Purpose: Police corruption – the use or misuse of entrusted power for personal, institutional, or third-party advantage, is widespread in emerging economies. Encounters with justice officials in developing nations often involve the payment of bribes, which undermines justice delivery and impedes socio-economic development. Efforts to tackle or address corruption are usually complex due to the secretive nature of corruption, its perceived benefit to both victims and perpetrators and a lack of consensus on the causes. This article investigates the causes of police corruption from the viewpoint of Ghanaian police officers. Design/methodology/approach: The study draws on data from a survey of police officers across three regions in Ghana. Descriptive, correlational, and linear regression analyses are used to address the issues. Findings: The results show that factors contributing to police corruption are classified into financial, cultural, institutional, and oversight/guidance. We found that police officers’ consideration of a factor as a cause of police corruption is influenced by their perceptions of other factors as causes of corruption. Practical implications: The results show that corruption causes should not be tackled in isolation as they depend on each other. This suggests that a holistic approach needs to be taken when developing strategies to address the causes of police corruption. Originality/value: This paper contributes to the debate on the causes of police corruption from an African perspective, where there is little quantitative research exploring the causes of police corruption. Control variables do not impact officers’ perceptions of the causes of corruption, which contradicts previous studies and contributes to the debate, literature, and theory development.
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    Police officers’ support for corruption: examining the impact of police culture
    (Emerald, 2022-10-17) Amagnya, Moses Agaawena
    This study examines the relationship between police culture and support for corruption among Ghanaian police officers. The study draws on data from a survey of 616 police officers across three regions in Ghana. The research questions and hypotheses are addressed through a hierarchical regression analysis. The results show that perception of corruption prevalence, lack of deterrence (i.e. perceived oversight measures) and the Upper East Region significantly predicted officers’ support for corruption. Particularly, lack of deterrence was a consistent predictor of support for corruption across different models compared to corruption prevalence. Contrary to previous studies, code of silence was found not to predict officers’ support for corruption. This paper contributes to the police culture and corruption debate an African perspective, where little research has explored the relationship between police culture and corruption. The code of silence not predicting support for corruption contradicts previous studies and contributes to the debate, literature and theory development.
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    Rural-Urban Dynamics of Police Corruption: Views of Ghanaian Police Officers
    (Springer Nature, 2024-06-24) Amagnya, Moses Agaawena
    Police corruption referring to police officers’ use or misuse of authority for private or organisational gain is a major obstacle to effective policing globally. The effect of police corruption is particularly grave in rural areas due to the remoteness of rural areas, inadequate frontline supervision, and people in rural areas being largely poor. Evidence shows that corruption denies people in rural areas of justice and contributes to increasing poverty levels. Despite the effect of police corruption in rural areas, studies hardly consider the rural-urban dynamics and perspectives. Addressing this gap, the current study explores the causes of corruption from the perspectives of police officers working in rural and urban areas. The study uses survey data from 616 Ghanaian police officers, which is analysed using proportions, correlations, and regression. Results show that the area where police officers work influences what factors they perceive as causes of corruption: officers working in rural areas are less likely to regard economic factors and institutional (in)actions as causes of police corruption. Also, officers’ gender is an important determinant of factors that are considered causes of corruption irrespective of whether they work in a rural or urban area. The results suggest that for anti-corruption policies addressing causes of police corruption to be effective, measures must factor in the rural-urban dynamics as different factors are regarded as causes of corruption among police officers working in rural and urban areas.
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    The relationship between the media and corruption: Perspectives of Ghanaian justice and anti-corruption officials
    (Emerald, 2024-03-25) Amagnya, Moses Agaawena
    Purpose The media is described as a fourth estate of the realm due to its ability to frame and shape discussions on governance and provide a stimulus for fighting corruption. But is the media really an effective tool for fighting corruption? This question arises due to the possibility of the media being used for propaganda, biased reporting and media owners’ and journalists’ engagement in corruption. The current study addresses the question by exploring the relationship between the media and corruption from the perspectives of Ghanaian justice and anti-corruption officials. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts a qualitative approach by interviewing justice and anti-corruption officials across three administrative regions in Ghana. Findings The results show that while justice officials describe the media as a medium for accusing officials unjustifiably and exaggerating the scale of corruption, anti-corruption officials believe the media helps to fight corruption. In addition to uncovering and exposing public officials’ corruption, the media is also a double-edged sword characterised by intra-vigilance: the media hold “their own” (i.e. journalists fighting corruption) accountable through criticism and exposure of wrongdoings. Practical implications The double-edged nature of the media can strengthen and enhance the fight against corruption because anti-corruption actors and journalists will be cautious as misjudgements or errors committed will not be overlooked or concealed by the media. Therefore, anti-corruption agencies in Ghana can collaborate with the media to uncover and expose corruption committed by public officials and even journalists or media owners. Originality/value This study is the first in Ghana to explore the relationship between the media and corruption from the perspectives of justice and anti-corruption officials. The approach, frameworks and methodology adopted in this study can be applied in similar studies in other countries on the African continent and beyond.
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    The unintended consequences of anti-corruption measures: Regulating judicial conduct in Ghana
    (Springer, 2022-06-21) Amagnya, Moses Agaawena
    There are endless possibilities of court users seeking to influence judges' decisions on cases in many countries. As a result, authorities often seek to reduce corruption opportunities by regulating judicial conduct and limiting access to judges. Using interview data from 15 judges drawn from a larger study of justice and anti-corruption officials in Ghana, this paper presents judges' interpretation and observation of rules around judicial conduct and the impact on corruption opportunities. The results suggest that judges interpret their obligations under these regulations broadly, including isolating themselves from the public to remove them from the possibilities of corrupt exchanges. However, it was found that instead of decreasing corruption opportunities, regulating judicial conduct in this way can produce unintended consequences. This anti-corruption measure, while well-meaning, can increase corruption opportunities, shift corruption opportunities to lower-level court officials, decrease transparency and guardianship, and even motivate judges to engage in corruption. The article concludes by discussing the implications of the results for preventing corruption in judicial systems.
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    The Whiteman and gifts: Underlying concepts influencing Ghanaian officials’ explanation of corruption
    (Sage, 2024-03-21) Amagnya, Moses Agaawena
    Corruption – the (mis)use of entrusted power or public office for private gain – is a widely researched and discussed subject matter with various descriptions. Understanding the meaning and nature of corruption from the perspectives of criminal justice and anti-corruption officials is essential for developing effective anti-corruption measures and strategies. However, justice and anti-corruption officials’ perspectives of what corruption means are under-explored. Addressing this gap, the current study explores Ghanaian justice and anti-corruption officials’ understanding of corruption and factors that might influence their perceptions. The study uses a qualitative design of interviews with judges, prosecution lawyers, police officers, defence lawyers and anti-corruption officials. The results show that colonialism, Western domination and historical and cultural practices are key factors underpinning officials’ understanding and explanation of corruption. The discussion depicts clashes between Western values and cultural practices of developing countries like Ghana. Finally, the article concludes by discussing the implications of the results for policy and practice.
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    Traffic violations and cooperative intentions among drivers: the role of corruption and fairness
    (Taylor and Francis, 2019-07-02) Tankebe, Justice; Boakye, Kofi E.; Amagnya, Moses Agaawena
    This paper examines traffic violations and cooperative intentions among a sample of commercial vehicle drivers in Ghana. Results showed that personal and vicarious corruption experiences independently increased frequency of self-reported violations of traffic laws. We found no evidence that perceived police fairness influenced self-reported violations of traffic laws. However, perception of fairness correlated with self-reported violation of traffic laws only when it interacted with personal or vicarious corruption experiences. We also found that perceived police fairness significantly increased the likelihood of cooperation with police, lending support to evidence from prior studies. Personal experience of police corruption decreased the likelihood of cooperative intention. Perceived fairness remained relevant for cooperative intention even among drivers who reported personal corruption experience. The implications of these findings are discussed.
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    Very Organised and Hard to Detect: Challenges of policing male sex work in Botswana
    (Routledge, 2022-08-29) Mashumba, Lesedi; Amagnya, Moses Agaawena; Akinlabi, Oluwagbenga Michael
    Sex work and the sex tourism industry are two growing phenomena in Botswana. This includes a growing male sex work (MSW) characterized by secrecy and the threat of violence. Indeed, MSW is often misconstrued as same-sex relationships that involve men with other men. Religious doctrines and government policies often fuel this misconception. However, there is a lack of research on how MSW is regulated legally and policed. This chapter addresses this gap by exploring 20 male sex workers, three non-governmental organizations working with male sex workers, and two police officers’ views of legislation and the policing of MSW through interviews. The results show that policing MSW in Botswana is characterized by three major challenges: an unclear fuzzy legal system, challenges with detecting MSW, and an absence of legal reforms to regulate and make sex work safe. This study concludes that authorities in Botswana need to amend existing legislation to cater to the growing sex industry so that sex workers, especially males, can be protected and safeguarded.