Don’t Get Angry, Reform - Nduom

The results from Anas Aremeyaw Anas’ recent investigation have thrown up many interesting reactions. I wish to commend Mr. Anas for his courage and persistence in placing a mirror at many places in society so that we can see for ourselves the wrongs we cause our society. He has in this instance done his part. I am interested in where we go from here.

Many people, social commentators, politicians, religious leaders and journalists have come up with what can only be considered ‘knee-jerk reactions’ not based on considered and careful analysis of the situation. Someone has blamed the “rot” on a punitive tax regime. Many are in a rush to judge and punish.

Predictably, the NDC and the NPP are throwing accusations and counter accusations at each other. They have spent much precious time pointing fingers on which one of them has contributed the most to corruption instead of looking for solutions to fix the problems that have been identified. On the radio and television talk shows many have painted not only all CEPS officers but all public servants with a broad black brush of corruption and made them all out to be “nation wreckers”. This is unproductive. A few months ago, it was the smuggling of cocoa. Then it was the situation at the Osu Children’s Home. Other big problems have been uncovered at some point or the other over the years. We get indignant, talk a lot, promise much and then eventually, the noise dies down and we get back to doing the same things all over again.

Many of our citizens have died needlessly through many horrible vehicle accidents that were preventable. Any time these tragedies occur, many questions are asked. The media finds “experts” to discuss what went wrong and the state of our roads and highways. Sometimes we examine the state of the vehicles and the drivers. We get angry, we cry, we threaten and act serious. Then we stop, until the next tragedy strikes. And we keep going round and round with no set destination in mind.

It has been widely reported that President J. Atta Mills was visibly very angry when he spoke to Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) officials during his visit to the Tema port after the story broke about the “rot” there. It is my considered view that the anger has been misdirected.

During my tenure in government, I met thousands and thousands of public servants. I can attest to the fact that most employees in the public sector are loyal public servants. They want to do the right thing. They are conscientious about their work, many of them. This includes those in the Civil Service, Judiciary, Police and CEPS.

But there is no doubt that there are problems. Problems are there to be solved. Not with anger. By considering the scope, size and nature of the problems, designing solutions and implementing them with a sense of urgency. That is what is required of leaders. CEPS like most public sector institutions need strengthening. The processes need to be re-engineered to make them simpler. They need technology – hardware, software and communications to facilitate the work. They need tighter and stronger supervision including surveillance technology to monitor the actions and activities of officers constantly. They need the encouragement that comes from a decent compensation package. They need a conducive work environment. This change – the kind of change we need but that which cannot be commanded and must be worked for consistently until the right results are achieved – takes time.

Unfortunately, President Mills in 2009 scrapped the Ministry of Public Sector Reform and downgraded the reform effort. Public sector reform has become a voluntary task without the force of single purpose leadership required to solve the many problems we are faced with. The one component of the multi-faceted programme that is seeing light of day though delayed is the Single Spine Salary Scheme which is one part of Pay Reform. Even that one still requires the strengthening of the Fair Wages & Salaries Commission to enable it to do its work with consistency and achieve long term success.

So instead of showing anger, President Mills must go back to strengthening our public institutions through consistent leadership, investment in improving the conditions of work (facilities, technology, etc.) and transforming the reform work seen by some as a temporary measure into a permanent Ministry of Public Service to work on continuous reform. The point is let’s improve our public sector institutions by investing in them. When something goes wrong, we must investigate and where wrong doing is ascertained, then act firmly to punish those responsible and follow up with preventive measures. Ghanaians are not more corrupt than Americans, the British or Koreans. They tend to have stronger institutions that work constantly to prevent corruption with more motivated personnel, better systems and modern technology. They are quick to act to remove “rot” when discovered.

Act, President Mills must, but not much will be achieved without reforming our institutions.

PAPA KWESI NDUOM February 7, 2011