Saturday,
December 7, 2013
Folks,
there is so much public concern about corruption in Ghana as to make me wonder
who at all can help us eradicate that vice from public service (not to talk
about what happens in private).
No
matter how one perceives issues, corruption is endemic and will continue to be
so unless something drastically revolting happens to shake up the system and
make it unattractive anymore. But when will such a moment dawn?
Over
the years, public office has been turned into a goldmine of bribery and
corruption to be exploited by those in authority who know where to go for it.
With
the “professionalization” of politics in our 4th Republic, bribery and
corruption have calcified and become so entrenched as to defy definition or
eradication.
Many
factors account for this deplorable situation:
1.
Systemic weaknesses that have created loopholes to facilitate unethical
behaviour in public office, leading to wanton manipulation of the system for
personal gains;
2.
Lack of clear-cut official policies on bribery and corruption and
sanctions/penalties (We may have some official documents containing references
to bribery and corruption, for instance, the code of conduct for the Ghana
Police Service that frowns on bribe-taking or gift-taking by any police
officer; the advice is that any police officer who receives any gift in the
course of performing legitimate duty must forward it to the IGP; but to whom
does the IGP forward any gift he receives?);
3.
Lack of moral courage to expose bribery and corruption: Who is to bell the cat
when almost everybody is guilty of taking bribes?
4.
Ineffective state institutions to enforce any provision on bribery and
corruption, especially when it involves notable public figures with political
connections;
5.
Massive apathy among the citizens, making bribery and corruption a given. Of
course, the saying that “Everybody ‘eats’ from his workplace” seems to give a
blanket blessing to the vice;
6.
Negative influence of politics: In a system where everything has been
politicized, any attempt to act against a culprit is quickly turned into a hot
political issue to be fought on partisan political lines. Several instances
have already occurred to confirm this negative happening;
7.
Porous and ineffective Judiciary: Cases being prosecuted have dragged on for
years, which is demoralizing. Who will expose any act of bribery/corruption,
knowing very well that the case won't be tried expeditiously or that the
Judiciary itself is corrupt and won't help solve the very problem being tackled?
8.
Criminal conspiracy among public officials, especially those in charge of
public morality who collude with alleged culprits to “kill” cases brought up
against them. This happening frightens the conscientious citizens and they play
it safe by keeping their mouths shut, which gives bribery/corruption a free
rein to thrive;
9.
Lack of any clear-cut official position on bribery/corruption: In our Ghanaian
context where gift-giving or receiving is a norm, when does an act constitute
bribery/corruption? It is not strange for people to grease the palms of
government officials visiting them or whom they visit for one thing or the
other. Indeed, it is not strange for people to “wet the ground” in pursuit of
stated agenda. In that case, who is guilty of what?
10.
Too many loopholes existing in the system pave the way for those walking the
corridors of power to become corrupt overnight and to pass on the tricks to
others. The award of contracts and the taking of kickbacks is a real avenue for
corruption.
It
is even known that part of the kickbacks goes into the coffers of particular
political parties (especially those in government); the lid is blown only when
too many people fight over such kickbacks (as Harona Esseku’s case revealed).
The
involvement of the political parties is widespread---from the lower levels to
the national one, where everything is done to use official avenues to “grow”
the parties through bribery and corruption regarding the award of contracts.
WHAT
HAS SO FAR BEEN DONE TO FIGHT CORRUPTION?
Over
the years, the various governments knew the extent to which corruption had
stained them; some attempted shifting blame as a way of solving the problem;
others brushed aside the allegations; and some used cosmetic measures that
didn't solve the problem. Others merely pulled the plugs to score cheap
political points.
In
Nkrumah's time, there was corruption. If you doubt it, just go back down the
memory lane and you should come across evidence to persuade you that the canker
has characterized Ghanaian public life for far too long.
Under
the National Liberation Council of Ankrah/Afrifa, it was evident. In the Busia
regime, no better; as for the Acheampong/Akufo governments, frightening!! Why
did the term “Kalabule” emerge in Ghana?
Rawlings'
AFRC used draconian measures to fight corruption, but only succeeded in opening
people's eyes to the excesses. The fear instilled in the people vanished when
Rawlings left the scene for Dr. Limann.
Rawlings
returned with his PNDC and his Citizens Vetting Committee, the
One-Man-One-House Committee, and many others that turned out to be instruments
for vengeance and not for weeding out corruption. Or, to be fair to Rawlings,
corruption had taken on new sophisticated twists and turns to reduce his
efforts to absurdity. That is why even after metamorphosing into a civilian
President for 8 years under the NDC administration, he couldn't understand why
corruption is ineradicable from Ghana. He still cannot understand why!!
Even,
some of those he had appointed to spearhead the fight against corruption fell
victim to the vice. Major Adutu, Chairman of the Citizens Vetting Committee
himself got caught up in the vice and suffered for it.
Don't
even talk about the PV Obengs, Col. Osei Wusus, Ibrahim Adams, and Adjei Marfos
who were found liable by the CHRAJ even though Rawlings labelled them as “men
of integrity”.
You
see, fighting corruption cannot be done sporadically. The entire system has to
be overhauled and appropriate laws passed and enforced without let or hindrance
or irrespective of personalities. Not when the law in Ghana is a respecter of
persons!!
That
takes us down to the Kufuor era, where Kufuor himself watered down everything
by declaring that corruption had existed ever since the days of Adam!!
Of
course, his declaration was made in a particular context, especially when he
asked anybody who had evidence of corruption among his appointees to go to the
police and that he won't act on media publications.
Be
that context what it might, this diffident attitude toward fighting such a
heinous canker demoralized many people and painted a very nasty picture of
Kufuor. No wonder his gang of property-grabbers had a field day.
Atta
Mills’ particular strategy for fighting corruption wasn't clear. He seemed to
have narrowed everything down to his own lifestyle, denying himself what his
predecessors had enjoyed, in the mistaken belief that his exemplary conduct
might influence others to live above reproach. A wasted effort!!
The
entrenched immorality pertaining to the payment of judgement debts is one sore
thumb depicting the Mills era!! Woyome, where are you?
Under
President Mahama, there is much heated public interest in corruption,
apparently because of the rot that has been exposed in the very initiatives
that he made for national development. Talk about SADA, GYEEDA, Subah, etc. and
you will come face-to-face with the frightening vice----verging more on
stealing of public funds than bribery/corruption.
President
Mahama is praised by some as instituting measures to fight the vice, especially
with his causing an official investigation to be conducted into the GYEEDA
affair. But not until the culprits are prosecuted, punished, and the stolen
funds returned to government chest, he won't earn anybody’s praise yet.
He
is also being commended for establishing the Sole Judgement Debt Commission,
which has been opening our eyes to the depth to which the canker has sunk.
Frightening!!
But
the overarching concerns can't be eliminated with ad hoc measures of the sort
that has characterized government's attitude to bribery and corruption all
these years.
There
is need for radical systemic changes to punish bribery/corruption and make it
unattractive forever and ever. The government has to make that move, supported
by all the other institutions of state. The citizens must also come on board
and be willing to expose the vice. They must not condone or connive with
anybody to sustain this rot.
More
importantly, there should be reward for those whose efforts expose corruption.
Some motivation can help the conscientious citizens support the authorities in
the fight against bribery/corruption. The laws must bite deep and those
politicians who rashly attribute everything affecting them to witch-hunting
must be exposed and punished.
There
may be many other measures; but I will pause here for now. Is there anything
particularly wrong with us in Ghana, which is why we will choose to encourage
bribery and corruption instead of honesty in public service? Over to you, my
good friends.
I shall return…
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E-mail:
mjbokor@yahoo.com
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