Corruption: Beyond Perception Polemics (1)

 

Any national action against corruption is welcome news.

For some time now, our records in the international arena have not been good enough. Our rating this year on the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) is same as last year.

The government and its stakeholders must step up the crusade, to get everybody aligned in this national call to fight this obstacle to freeing the resources, and improve the living standards of the people.

Unfortunately, like any issue in the country, the fight against corruption is caught on the battle ground of partisan politics. We have politicised everything under the sun in our country that pretty soon, whether one is able to buy food would be determined by which side of the political divide you belong to.

For the very critical issue of development, the two major political parties are unable to agree on how to carry out the process to the benefit of the present generation and those yet unborn.

We can change the narrative about rising corruption if we set out to uphold our integrity and family values in the discharge of our national assignments. We have just decided not to respect the rules and regulations governing national conduct, especially the use of money bags in the conduct of elections, and the misapplication of public funds.

The revelations from the Auditor General’s report and our attitude towards those who indulge in the infractions do not show that the country is ready to make the abuse a risky business. We should be angry at those who are derailing our efforts to provide for all, instead of those in decision-making positions stealing the resources for personal gain.

We are at this crossroad because, again, of partisan politics. We are not helping to fight the demonic corruption but rather fuelling the perception that Ghana is a corrupt country.

We remind our compatriots that the annual report by Transparency International is based on perception. That is why our people and especially the anti-graft institutions must be careful not to be shouting wolf, wolf, in the pen full of chicken that cannot cause harm to anybody.

Some of our compatriots in the NDC and their allies in the media, academia and civil society would disagree because of the electoral dividends. The evidence is clear that during their time the country did not do better.

We must fight all those who want to perpetrate corruption, because the high perception affects investment flow, and all of us suffer the pain of underdevelopment.

The anti-graft activists must moderate their conversation about the level of corruption in order not to fuel the perception.

 

 

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