Anti-corruption drive must not create hardship - Rawlings

Former President Jerry John Rawlings has underscored the need for a paradigm shift in the fight against corruption.

This, he believed, would ensure that it does not create undue hardship.

Speaking with particular reference to Nigeria, Mr Rawlings said corruption had eaten so deep into the fabric of society that the quest to clean up seems to rather create hardship instead of reducing the cost of living.

The former President was delivering his remarks at a lecture organised by the University of Ibadan Alumni Association (UIAA) at the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti in Nigeria last Tuesday.

He told the gathering “a new way may have to be devised to fight this kind of corruption without creating undue hardship for our people.” 

Many Nigerians, he said, have baulked at the anti-corruption drive of President Muhammadu Buhari because of the austerity measures taken to curb the menace.

Former President Rawlings said “good leadership could be sustained and preserved if we continue to use the power of our thumb wisely.”

Both the people of Ghana and Nigeria, he noted, had shown a clear inclination to serve notice to leaders that if they failed to protect the interest of the people they would not be allowed to stay in power to perpetuate that disservice.

Avid dark trap

Mr Rawlings also charged Nigerians to check the dangerous vice of ethnicity that appears to be rearing its head in their country.

“Let’s find a way out of this dark trap. Stop threatening each other on tribal grounds. Let’s learn to accommodate each other. The continent needs you strong and united,” he urged.

Quality of leadership

The former President also questioned the quality of some of the personalities who ascend to political leadership positions on the continent.

He said: “The culture of the wealthy by any means becoming leaders is problematic. Unfortunately we have under the guise of democracy allowed the rich to purchase our power of choice. Leadership is no longer about desirable traits such as honesty, hard work, empathy and courage but simply a position for the highest bidder.”

“Today, to be a successful politician, all one needs is a pocket large enough to sway the conscience of the vulnerable in society. The watchdog role of the media has slowly been eroded. Gradually, we are losing focus on the things that are important such as proper qualification and character,” the former President said.

Global issues

The former President also charged the continent to wean itself off the apron strings of the West and charged Africa to let its voice be heard on global issues.

“We need to self-identify as a continent where our development is no longer dependent on the West. We need to start helping our communities. It is unfair that when there is a crisis in Somalia, Africa responds only when the West has taken the initiative. Lately, the narrative is changing as we saw in The Gambia not too long ago. ECOWAS and the African Union found their lost ‘teeth’ and supported the Gambian people to restore the change they had voted for.”