GSS Warns: Bribery Declines in Ghana — But New ‘Appreciation Payment’ Culture Taking Over

Ghana may be winning the fight against traditional bribery, but a new and equally dangerous culture is emerging to take its place: the rapid rise of voluntary “appreciation payments”.

According to the latest Governance Series Wave 2 Report by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), these unsolicited payments—money or gifts offered to public officials even when not demanded—are becoming increasingly normalised across public institutions.

The report shows a notable decline in citizens giving money or gifts due to coercion or expectation from public officials, dropping from 18.4% in Wave 1 to 14.3% in Wave 2. Under normal circumstances, this would be celebrated as a significant success in Ghana’s anti-corruption efforts.

But beneath this progress lies a worrying trend.

Voluntary appreciation payments nearly doubled, rising sharply from 17.6% to 32.9% — meaning almost one in every three Ghanaians now offers money or gifts without being asked.

For many, these payments are seen as tokens to “move the process along”, especially in state institutions where delays, long queues, and unclear procedures frustrate service users. Even when officials do not demand money, citizens assume that giving something extra guarantees faster or smoother service.

While these payments appear harmless, the GSS warns that they create a dangerous foundation for corruption to thrive. Once voluntary gestures become routine, they risk quietly evolving into expectations.

This shift undermines institutional fairness and allows systems to depend on personal generosity rather than standardised rules — widening opportunities for abuse.

The report reveals deeper concerns:

• Only 3% of citizens who were asked for a payment refused — a drastic fall from 8.5% earlier.
• Reporting of bribery has plummeted. Only 6 out of 100 victims filed a complaint, compared to 15 out of 100 in Wave 1.

Fear of retaliation, fear of losing access to public services, and lack of faith in the system were cited as key reasons for the silence. This reluctance further widens the trust gap between citizens and state institutions.

Interestingly, interactions between citizens and public institutions have increased significantly. Public contact jumped from 55.7% to 74.2%, meaning more Ghanaians are engaging with government services than before.

While broader access is positive, it also exposes millions more to the challenges of systems that rely heavily on discretion, personal networks, and manual processes.

The Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service remains the institution with the highest rate of payments — whether voluntary or coerced.

Its bribery figure dropped from 61% to 51.9%, but it still tops the list, reflecting ongoing issues around road checks, traffic enforcement, and roadside interactions that often leave drivers feeling compelled to “dash” officers to avoid complications.

More than 50% of all payments recorded were ₵100 or less. While seemingly small, their frequency — especially in high-contact sectors like traffic enforcement — creates a heavy cumulative cost for citizens.

For many Ghanaians, these small “tokens” have quietly become an expected cost of dealing with public institutions.

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