Private legal practitioner Amanda Akuokor Clinton has cautioned that growing public distrust in Ghana’s anti-corruption institutions poses a serious challenge to the country's governance framework and should serve as a wake-up call for the Mahama administration.

According to her, declining confidence in agencies mandated to investigate and prosecute corruption could undermine public faith in the rule of law and weaken efforts to promote accountability in public service.

Speaking on TV3 on Saturday, June 20, 2026, the Head of Chambers at The Law Office of Clinton Consultancy described recent public perception findings on corruption and anti-corruption institutions as troubling, particularly in light of the government's strong anti-graft messaging.

"It is a ticking time bomb. That, to me, is incredibly low, particularly for a party that has gone on about ORAL and embarked on perhaps the biggest anti-corruption marketing campaign in the history of this country," she said.

Her comments come at a time when the government continues to highlight the work of the Operation Recover All Loots (ORAL) initiative and other accountability mechanisms aimed at investigating alleged financial impropriety and recovering state resources.

Structural challenges

Ms Clinton argued that the low confidence levels reflected deeper institutional challenges that have persisted over the years.

She identified weak enforcement mechanisms, perceptions of selective justice, limited transparency in public procurement processes and the absence of visible sanctions against influential individuals accused of wrongdoing as factors contributing to public scepticism.

According to her, many Ghanaians believe the anti-corruption architecture is failing to tackle the most powerful actors behind major scandals.

"People are not going after the kingpins enough, and we are not hearing enough about the scandals because it is almost as if the whole system is designed to cover for them instead of pursuing them. Yet, we continue to talk about corruption involving other people," she said.

She stressed that public confidence in anti-corruption agencies can only be restored when investigations and prosecutions are seen to be impartial and free from political considerations.

Call for introspection

The legal practitioner also urged the government to reflect on whether its anti-corruption efforts are being perceived as balanced and comprehensive.

While acknowledging ongoing investigations involving former officials of the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration, she suggested that the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) should pay attention to public perceptions regarding accountability within its own ranks.

"It would be interesting for them to analyse whether this strong focus on the 'others' aligns with what the polls are showing and what society appears to suspect, that they are not looking inside their own house," Clinton stated.

She said anti-corruption campaigns are most effective when they are viewed as non-partisan and applied consistently regardless of political affiliation.

Views from legal professionals

Ms Clinton further observed that the perception figures were particularly significant because they reflected opinions from professionals, including members of the legal fraternity, who regularly interact with institutions within the justice system.

"Professionals, particularly lawyers, are seeing firsthand what is happening within the system, and that is why the perception rating is so low," she said.

She explained that lawyers, judges, investigators and other practitioners often witness the pace, consistency and outcomes of anti-corruption cases, making their assessment of institutional effectiveness especially important.

Restoring trust

Governance experts have long argued that public confidence is one of the most critical assets in the fight against corruption. Analysts say that beyond launching investigations and public campaigns, governments must demonstrate measurable outcomes through successful prosecutions, asset recovery and stronger institutional independence.

Ms Clinton's remarks add to an ongoing national debate over the effectiveness of Ghana's anti-corruption framework and the extent to which public institutions are meeting citizens' expectations for accountability and transparency.

Her warning comes as the government continues to position the fight against corruption as a key pillar of its governance agenda, with observers suggesting that public trust will ultimately depend not on rhetoric but on visible and sustained results.