Top 10 most corrupt institutions in Ghana: GSS report exposes bribery hotspots

Seven out of ten Ghanaians seeking public services between July and December 2025 faced demands for informal payments, according to new governance data from the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS).

Presented at a Governance Series event on August 4, 2026, the survey’s third wave revealed a sharp uptick in bribery pressures. Government Statistician Dr. Alhassan Iddrisu noted that actual bribe incidence rose from 14.3% in early 2025 to 18.0% in the second half, while solicitations by public officers surged to 69.4%.

"The pressure sits at the counter," Dr. Iddrisu highlighted, emphasizing that officer demands, rather than citizen offers, drive the trend.

Despite late-year pressures, the broader 2025 baseline improved over 2024: overall bribe payments dipped to 16.8%, high-value bribes (>GH¢1,000) dropped from 14.7% to 7.6%, and citizen resistance grew, with 4.9% refusing bribe demands.

GSS data shows corruption remains concentrated within high-contact public bodies. Law enforcement agencies dominate the list, with traffic police recording the highest frequency of unofficial payments.

Top 10 Institutions for Bribe Payments (Jul–Dec 2025)

1. Police – Motor Traffic & Transport Division (MTTD): 54.6%
2. Police – General Duties: 37.4%
3. Police – Criminal Investigation Department (CID): 29.5%
4. Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GHAPOHA): 26.2%
5. Traffic Management Authority (City Guard): 24.8%
6. Ghana Immigration Service: 23.5%
7. Births and Deaths Registry: 20.3%
8. Driver & Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA): 18.0%
9. Passport Office: 11.1%
10. Embassy / Consulate: 10.7%

Cash remains the overwhelmingly dominant bribe medium (94.8%), though non-monetary gifts like property doubled over the period.

Dr. Iddrisu noted that ending extortion requires aggressive digitization of service delivery to eliminate officer discretion, alongside stronger protection for citizens who resist corruption.