Ghanaians are generally not corrupt – Manasseh Azure Awuni

Celebrated investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has argued that Ghanaians as a whole are not corrupt contrary to an erroneous impression held many.

Speaking on JoyFM’s Ghana Connect Friday on whether or not Ghanaians are inherently corrupt, Manasseh who has uncovered massive corruption in successive governments, maintains that most Ghanaians are not inherently corrupt but, are victims of corruption because the system rewards corruption and punishes those who try to avoid it.

“…you find people who ordinarily will not be corrupt, but they are forced to. So generally I don’t agree that Ghanaians in general are corrupt. Maybe a percentage of us may be corrupt, but not all of us. And that percentage for me is even minute,” Manasseh argued.

Other panelists however disagreed, stressing that Ghanaians are inherently and will promptly engage in corruption at the least opportunity.

Ghana has had countless stories of corruption scandals since it gained independence in 1957, with each regime recording its own set of scandals.

Recent reports of alleged corruption at the Public Procurement Authority( PPA) involving its Chief Executive Officer( CEO), Adjei Boateng Adjei has sparked discussions on whether or not Ghanaians are by nature corrupt.

A documentary by Manasseh titled “Contracts for Sale” premiered last Wednesday captured the PPA Boss’ own company under the name Talent Discovery Limited incorporated in June 2017 which has won a number of government contracts through restrictive tendering.

From excerpts of the 46-minute documentary, it also emerged that the company was engaged in the sale of contracts and was ready to sell one worth a ¢22.3 million to a non-existent entity during undercover investigation.