The Ghanaian as a corruption change agent; your New Year wish?

Not a day passes in Ghana without the talk about corruption in the media. The decadence cuts across all facets of Ghana’s social, political and economic life.

As is our ritual, we are busily putting down our ”great expectations” to God, requesting him to forcefully honour them at all cost. We want new jobs to continue that building project or buy new fleet of cars, and also travel opportunities and more. Also, we look at higher academic laurels to our chain. And that is normal with every human being, don’t get me wrong.

I read an article this week in which the Principal of the Jackson College of Education is eliciting engagement which makes the teaching of “corruption” a compulsory subject right from the basic education up to the university education level.

While that view could be a layer to solving the hydra-headed situation the Ghanaian society is currently bedevilled with, who is going to teach the subject and how exemplary is that person? Right from the clergy to political and the ordinary man on the street doing the criticism of the seemingly corrupt everyboby is corrupt.
We refuse to honour our tax responsibilities, yet we want development in our communities. Those who pay falsify their tax liabilities to the state.

Our communities are filthy because we dump rubbish anywhere when no one is watching. Our gutters are choked and the stench is killing us. We build houses without toilet facilities because the building authority will not do its monitoring work of ensuring that the right thing is done.

Well, my proposition is, as we put our requests to God for a brighter 2018, I wish for all of us to also ask God to make us change agents - from the personal level to the fight against corruption at all levels.

In that wise, I cease taking 10 per cent or ‘brown envelope’ for that contract, and I will not condone, connive or implicitly do anything with underlying undertones to making money inappropriately. Also, I will retire all expense for that project – including the remaining resource honestly. As a policeman, it is my duty to protect the citizenry and not collect money from them for same.

As a judge, politician, pastor and reverend minister, chief, educationist, civil servant, media practitioner, student, labourer , national service person and all others, we resolve to fight corruption in 2018 and beyond by first being agents of change and reporting corruption to the appropriate institutions for prosecution and ensuring prosecution.

Wishing all Ghanaians a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous corruption-free Happy New Year!

The writer is a national service person.