Ghana’s Parliament has reaffirmed its commitment to leading the fight against illicit financial flows (IFFs) during the 2025 African Parliamentary Network on Illicit Financial Flows and Taxation (APNIFFT) Continental Conference, which took place in Johannesburg.
Representing Ghana, the Clerk to Parliament, Mr. Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, highlighted the nation’s advancements in enhancing transparency through digital reforms, notably the Ghana Electronic Procurement System (GHANEPS), which was launched in 2019 to minimize human discretion in the awarding of contracts. He stated that this digitization has established a comprehensive audit trail, facilitating the Auditor-General, Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), and civil society in verifying transactions and identifying irregularities.
“The data produced by GHANEPS offers immediate information for parliamentary committees to perform regular oversight and to inquire about reported procurement irregularities,” he remarked.
Mr. Djietror noted that Ghana’s digital reforms align with the Open Government Partnership (OGP) agenda, which promotes transparency and accountability in public contracting. He also referenced significant legislation, including the Companies Act, 2019 (Act 992), and the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921), both of which establish a robust legal framework for corporate transparency and digital governance.
Dr. Khanyisile Tshabalala, Chairperson of the APNIFFT Steering Council, along with other distinguished speakers, recounted the detrimental impacts of illicit financial flows, such as the depletion of hard currency reserves, heightened economic instability, increased poverty levels, and reduced investments. She earnestly urged African legislators to work together towards a legacy of eliminating illicit financial flows from Africa, both within their respective nations and throughout the continent.
Present at the Parliament were several members of the APNIFFT caucus, including Hon. Kwame Gakpey (MP for Keta); Hon. Rita Naa Odoley Sowah (MP for La Dade Kotopon); and the Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs, Hon. Abdul-Salam Adams (MP for New Edubiase), along with Dr. Isaac Opoku, MP for Offinso South, and the Clerk to the caucus, Mrs. Gifty Jiagge-Gobah.
The APNIFFT conference, organized by the Tax Justice Network Africa (TJNA), convened lawmakers, civil society organizations, and development partners from various regions of Africa to assess a decade of advancements in anti-IFIs initiatives and to strategize for the future. The discussions also focused on harmonizing parliamentary priorities with Africa’s tax justice agenda and the forthcoming UN Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation.
