Anti-corruption drive must not create hardship – Rawlings

Ghana’s former president Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings has in an address in Nigeria called for a paradigm shift in the fight against corruption to ensure that it does not create undue hardship on the people.

Mr. Rawlings, speaking with particular reference to Nigeria, 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.

“A new way may have to be devised to fight this kind of corruption without creating undue hardship for our people,” the former President said, when he delivered keynote remarks at a lecture organized by the University of Ibadan Alumni Association (UIAA), at the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti in Nigeria on Tuesday.

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

Rawlings said good leadership could be sustained and preserved if we continue to use the power of our vote wisely. Both the people of Ghana and Nigeria, he noted, had shown a clear inclination to serve notice to leaders that if they fail to protect the interest of the people they will not be allowed to stay in power to perpetuate that disservice.

Dr. Makanjuola Owolabi, a renowned aviator, consultant physician, human factors instructor, farmer and retired Senior Nigerian Air Force officer delivered the lecture on the theme, ‘Leadership with Character’.

Flt. Lt. Rawlings also charged Nigerians to check the dangerous corruption 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.

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 like proper qualification and character,” the former President said.

Flt Lt. Rawlings said he was inspired by the defiance of the people of Ada when they prevented a sub-chief from paying homage to the paramount chief during the annual Asafotufiam festival last Saturday. He said the people felt the sub-chief was not qualified to legitimize his title by paying homage to the paramount chief.

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.”