Corruption will persist until voters stop exchanging votes for money – Atubiga

A former communication team member of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) who left to form a new political party, Stephen Atubiga, has encouraged Ghanaian voters and political party delegates to assume part responsibility for corruption by politicians.

Atubiga, the leader and founder of the National Liberation Congress (NLC), claims that the monetisation of Ghana’s elections has created a serious problem, making it impossible to combat corruption.

He cited the risky practice of political party delegates demanding money from individuals who indicate interest in running for office internally.

He claimed that because the issue has received so little attention, it has become commonplace for prospective lawmakers, presidential candidates, and party officials to have to give large quantities of money to delegates in order to be voted into office.

He pointed out that this has spread to our national elections, which are currently a haven for corruption.

He said when voters demand so much from aspirants and candidates before they elect them into office, these politicians come with the intention of stealing in order to replace what they lost so they have limited time thinking about national development.

In his view, the nation is facing more serious issues on all fronts as a result of the national and internal elections being more and more commercialised.

He opined that Ghanaians have planted the seed of corruption in politicians through their demand for money and other valuables before voting for them.

Stephen Atubiga asserted that “these politicians do not have the means to fund their political offices, and so when the Ghanaian voters demand money from them before voting for them, they steal from the state coffers when they get into office to recoup what they spent on their campaigns.

"You have planted the seed of corruption in them, and so when they get power or are elected into office, they will steal from your state.”

He added: “when political leaders travel across the country to campaign, the people are not interested in listening to what the politicians will say but rather in the financial benefits they will get.

“When politicians pay courtesy calls on our chiefs, they are more interested in the money and drinks the politician will bring than the message the politician will deliver.

"They are more concerned with how politicians will provide money than with the message. People are also interested in money, not policies or programmes. So when they achieve power, all they concentrate about is how to recuperate their campaign expenses.

"That is why we are where we are today. Ghanaians have planted the seed of corruption in the pockets of politicians. Until Ghanaians to start giving politicians free votes based on their brains and vision and not their pockets; we will not be able to deal with corruption,” he stressed.