Ghana Hosts Commonwealth Leadership Training for African Anti-Corruption Chiefs

Ghana hosted a Senior Executive Leadership and Management Programme in Accra from 7 to 11 September 2026, bringing together 30 heads of anti-corruption agencies from 21 Commonwealth African countries. The programme was organised by the Commonwealth Secretariat in partnership with the Chandler Foundation, according to the Commonwealth.

Building leadership skills, not just legal powers

The training focused on strengthening the leadership and management capabilities of senior executives responsible for running and reforming anti-corruption institutions, rather than on legal or investigative techniques alone. Sessions created space for participants to exchange country-led solutions on building stronger, more transparent and accountable public institutions. The Commonwealth Secretariat’s Head of Public Sector Governance, Dr Roger Koranteng, led the sessions and said “capacity development is one of the most important investments governments can make in strengthening public institutions.” Participants included agency heads managing very different resources and legal powers, from small island states with a handful of investigators to larger economies with dedicated courts for corruption cases, giving the week a strongly comparative, peer-learning character.

Part of a wider push ahead of CHOGM

The Ghana programme followed a related Commonwealth-backed leadership workshop for around 120 heads of Seychelles’ public service held from 24 to 28 August, where President Mathew Herminie told participants that “citizens expect public services that are efficient, responsive, transparent and increasingly digital.” Both events form part of a broader governance-strengthening effort across Commonwealth member states ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting due in Antigua and Barbuda in November 2026.

Why It Matters

Anti-corruption laws are only as effective as the institutions that enforce them, and leadership gaps are often cited as a reason enforcement falls short even where legal frameworks are strong. Investing in the people who run these agencies, and giving them a forum to compare notes across borders, is a practical complement to legislative reform.