The Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) has opened its free public voting to allow the general public to vote for the 'Integrity Personality of the Year' 2021 award.

In a press release, GII also noted that the public voting will end on November 31.

The Ghana Integrity Awards (GIAWARDS) ceremony is slated for December 9, to commemorate UN International Anti-Corruption Day.

According to the press release, the voting procedure will be to either “visit www.ghanatintegrityawards.org, click on “Vote Now”, select your preferred nominee and submit OR to vote via USSD short code, Dial *800*21# and follow the prompt”.

It further indicated an evaluation committee will constitute 40 per cent of the total votes for the nominees.

“The public votes will constitute 60 per cent of the total score with the other 40 per cent being awarded by the GIAWARDS evaluation committee made up of eminent anti-corruption and accountability experts from civil society, academia, judiciary, public sector and private sector,” the statement said.

The GIAWARDS was launched in July 2021 with the aim of honouring institutions and individuals whose efforts are contributing positively and sustainably to the promotion of integrity and the fight against corruption.

Five nominees have been shortlisted for the Integrity Personality of the Year ward out of the 40 nominations that were received by GII.

They include; Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, North Tongu MP; Samson Lardy Anyenini, journalist and private legal practitioner; Manasseh Azure Awuni, investigative journalist; Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, Ho West MP and Confidence Fiagadzi, Detective Lance Corporal (CID), Ghana Police Service.

The other award categories for institutions are Policy & Administrative Reforms, Transparency & Social Accountability, Efficient Public Service Delivery, Effective Internal Controls Enforcement and Business Integrity Category.

“Institutions that have been shortlisted are being evaluated and will be scored 100% by the Evaluation Committee.,” the statement noted.

The GIAWARDS 2021 is supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands, Accra Brewery PLC, Enterprise Group and Newmont Ghana.