Christians must not condone corrupt practices — Ghartey

The Minister of Railways Development, Mr Joe Ghartey, has admonished Christians never to condone corrupt practices as many people look up to them as role models in all societies.

He said corruption in Ghana was an indication of how the country’s political elite had failed to live up to expectation.

He observed that although the Ghanaian society had been trying to eliminate corruption ever since the country gained independence, it continued to pertain, catching in its web even persons who were expected to be upright.

Theme

Mr Ghartey, who is also the NPP Member of Parliament for the Essikado/Ketan Constituency, gave the admonition at the third Koomson/Ackah/Enchia Memorial Lectures of the Association of Methodist Men’s Fellowships held at the Wesley Methodist Cathedral in Sekondi in the Western Region.

It was on the theme: “Eliminating Corruption in the Ghanaian Society through effective Christian Stewardship.”

The law maker said since 1992, successive governments had tried to use the Constitution to do away with issues of corruption but it had never been an easy task.

Explaining some of the roots of corruption, he said it would be a conflict of interest if he (Joe Ghartey) gave a contract to his friend or brother, adding that “if I do so, which is on rare occasions, I must come out clearly with reasons why my brother or friend was awarded the contract”.

Beginning of corrupt practices

Mr Ghartey asked why a parent should go and see a head of an institution to admit a child if the child’s performance was very bad, adding: “This is the beginning of the corrupt practices”.

Mr Ghartey was emphatic that many Christians were corrupt and those were the people who were to fight corrupt practices in the society.

He made reference to Jesus in the Bible telling the tax collectors to collect the correct levies and soldiers not to intimidate the civilians as such actions fueled corruption.

He drew attention to a worrying trend of young people who did poorly on the job they were given but complained of low salaries.

He asked: “How do you expect to be paid fat salaries when your output is very low?”

Corrupt teachers

The railways development minister said teachers who spent much of their time on their farms and little time in the classrooms were all corrupt because the tuition time was supposed to be used in the classrooms and “not on the field doing your own business”.

He said many people supported corruption because it had been identified as a means of gaining more illegally than what they could genuinely acquire, which was destroying the public purse and retarding the progress of the nation.

He said the Bible was full of questions on corrupt practices and Christians must be the first to know and avoid the canker in society.

He stated that wise King Solomon talked about vanity and the zeal to acquire wealth illegally which had untoward results.

He asked Ghanaians to pray, fear God and keep His commandments so that the issues of corruption would be eradicated in the Ghanaian society.

The chairman for the occasion, Past Lay President and Past Connexional Chairman James A. Ababio-Brew said the elimination of corruption in the Ghanaian society must start from Christians who show good leadership qualities without corrupt practices so as to spread to other corners of the nation.