Instil strong ethical values in children to help fight corruption — Panellists
Panellists at a National Dialogue on the Rule of Law and Corruption have called for a deliberate effort to instil strong ethical values in citizens, particularly young people, to combat corruption.
They argued that with a strong ethical foundation, young people would be able to make informed and ethical decisions,advocating a set of values that all Ghanaians could embrace and uphold while calling on the elderly in society to set positive examples to inspire future generations.
The speakers were former Dean, University of Ghana Business School; Professor Justice Bawole; Executive Director of the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), Mary Awelana Addah, and the Chairman of the Advisory Board Against Corruption (AUANC), Kwami Edem Senanu.
The dialogue was organised by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in Accra on September 9, as part of activities under a public education initiative aimed at empowering citizens at all levels to resist corruption, report corrupt practices and understand the negative impact on the country’s development.
Public education
The initiative is under the "Strengthening the Rule of Law and Fight Against Corruption in Ghana" project, which forms part of the Participation, Accountability and Integrity for a Resilient Democracy programme (PAIReD), commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
It is co-financed by the European Union (EU) and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and implemented by GIZ in cooperation with the Ministry of Finance and other partners in Ghana.
It is on the theme "Empowering Citizens, Promoting Accountability”.
Shift mindset
Prof. Bawole said the country must explore strategies to shift the mindset of citizens from being willing participants in corruption to becoming active champions of integrity and good governance.
He said he had surveyed students in 2018 using a scenario which involved a public servant being offered a gift by a contractor to influence the contract process, stating that the respondents, mainly students indicated a high tolerance for corruption.
On the other hand, he said there were also conflicting values taught at home and school, where honesty was punished and dishonesty was rewarded, creating a moral dilemma for children.
He called for more conversations about good deeds and honest behaviour and said young people were particularly vulnerable to the negative influences of media, which often portrayed corruption as a common occurrence.
Whistleblower platforms
Ms Addah encouraged community members to take an active role in the fight against corruption, rather than expecting it to be done by others.
She further said it was important for the public to use official whistleblower platforms to report corruption, such as the Office of the Special Prosecutor, police service, community chiefs, and civil society platforms such as the Advocacy and Legal Advice Centre, to ensure credibility and confidentiality.
She gave assurances that complaints made to the ALAC were followed through until resolution.
Constitutional duties
The Chairman of AUANC Senanu, said many Ghanaians were not aware of their constitutional duties, as outlined in Article 40 1f, which required citizens to protect and preserve public property and combat misuse of power.
He called for a collective effort to fulfil such responsibilities and said the dialogue was a crucial step towards achieving that goal.
He reiterated the need to focus and invest in the younger generation to prevent corruption and ensure a brighter future.
