How are we doing in fight against corruption?

The Oxford English Dictionary defines ‘corruption’ as a “dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power, typically involving bribery.” Transparency International says ‘corruption’ is the abuse of entrusted power for private gain.

Corruption is one of the words that have been flogged for the past years and it would be difficult to say that some people have not heard that word before.

But although it has been mentioned at fora and debates in the country as a canker that is eating away the moral fibre of the country, it would not be accurate to say that nothing is being done about it.

What is evident rather is the slow pace at which policies, laws and agencies of state tasked to deal with the phenomenon are tackling it.

In spite of the many corruption exposés in ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) as well as metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) by the Auditor-General’s report every year, there is still the misappropriation and embezzlement of funds because those who misuse public funds are not sanctioned.

Since the beginning of Ghana’s Fourth Republic, many public officials have been cited in one embezzlement case or another by the Auditor-General but on no occasion has any of them been incarcerated or given some sanctions for mismanaging the public purse.

President John Dramani Mahama says he has fought corruption during his tenure more than any President of the country, and that Ghana has increasingly done well on the corruption perception index since 2012.

While that may be true, the fact still stands that bribery and corruption are rife not only among politicians, but also in various sectors of the economy. 

In many organisations, staff members demand financial inducements from clients before they provide a service they are already being paid to provide.

Some members of the public are also ever ready to part with some money to officials so that they are attended to earlier than others in a queue and that also amounts to corruption.

In schools, some female students are accused of offering sexual favours to lecturers for grades, while in the entertainment industry some females are also accused of offering sex to producers just to be featured or given contracts. The list, indeed, is endless.

The Daily Graphic urges the government to step up efforts in sanctioning people who hold public positions by making known publicly those public officials being investigated for various corruption charges.

The outcome of whatever investigations that are conducted must also be made public to confirm that the government is indeed serious about fighting corruption.  The culprits must also be punished to serve as a deterrent to others.

While corruption may be a “hush hush” topic, since both the giver and the taker in the act of bribery may not want to talk about it, we believe we must not only consider it as a perception but as a reality. 

Accepting that corruption exists at all levels is the only way we can develop the right mechanisms to fight it and make our society a better place to live in. That is the only way we can produce honest people and institutions.