Mr President, crack the whip

The canker of corruption that has engulfed our country has become malignant now, as those involved in the act appear incorrigible.

It is spreading like a tumour. As a result of the thievery or plunder of public resources by some state officials, the people are faced with numerous challenges that otherwise could have been taken care of with the country’s resources.

Ghana has been touted as one of the best democracies on the African continent, an emerging economy classified as a middle-income country, but the dividends of these positive developments are yet to reflect in the lives of the people.

The people have become suspicious of appeals from their leaders to sacrifice for a better future when they see their leaders, both temporal and spiritual, ‘spirit’ their taxes and offering to sustain extravagant lifestyles.

Every day, the people wonder whether their leaders are conscious of the essence of sustainable development, because if they were aware, the leaders would take time to reflect on whether there would be anything left for future generations from the way we are going.

The Daily Graphic can say without any contradiction that the people have become despondent. 

Democratic governance cannot be said to provide all the solutions to our ills, but so far it is the best form of government because it offers the people choices, promotes the rule of law, encourages a free media and respect for minority rights.

We feel sad that the ruling class has abused the confidence the electorate has reposed in it, as the rulers see people as being relevant only during elections.

By law, the President is required to account to parliamentarians every year; Parliament holds the purse strings of the government and has oversight responsibility for state institutions; while the Judiciary acts as a bulwark against state dictatorship, with  the media holding all the institutions accountable to the people of Ghana.

There are two things, therefore, that threaten the future of the country — the canker of corruption and acts of indiscipline. Until we deal with these negative tendencies, the struggle to build a better Ghana will be a mere pipe dream.

Just yesterday, we published the mess exposed at the National Service Scheme (NSS).

Previous acts of corruption included the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency (GYEEDA) and the SADA guinea fowl saga. 

The unbridled use of state funds to hire accommodation for the boss of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) is another issue, though that borders on morality.

The irony of all these is that at a time some selfish individuals are dissipating state resources, the government faces challenges with statutory payments such as the GETFund, the District Assemblies Common Fund, the school feeding programme, the capitation grant and the National Health Insurance Levy.

Every year, the Auditor-General comes out with frustrating tales of the misappropriation and misuse of public funds, yet nothing happens beyond the public show by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament.

As if that is not enough, in recent times the canker of corruption has affected all state institutions, as taxes meant for the development of the country are siphoned for personal gain.

Our country is richly endowed and the resources, if properly harnessed, should be able to help fix its development deficits.

We appeal to our leaders in every sphere of national life to give hope to the people, especially the youth, by dealing with those who have decided to loot the coffers of the state and private institutions, so that we can achieve the dreams of our founding fathers, especially our first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, who declared, “We prefer self-government in danger to servitude in tranquillity.”

The Daily Graphic appeals to all Ghanaians, irrespective of their political affiliations, to raise their voices against any act of corruption or white-collar crime, while the state should prosecute all those looting the country’s resources.