I am 'disgusted' by the level of corruption in churches - Rawlings

The rot in the Church these days is spiteful of God’s image, former President Jerry John Rawlings has bemoaned.

According to him, though the Church should be the number one institution of integrity, the rot perpetrated within it was uncomplimentary of God.

“What has eaten Ghana up so much so that for one to progress, he or she has to adopt corrupt tendencies? It is extremely difficult to move forward by doing things the right way,” he lamented at the burial service of WO1 Joseph Adjei Boadi, a former member of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), at a solemn ceremony in Kumasi last Saturday.

WO1 Adjei Boadi, who died at the age of 71, was a Chief Instructor and Second-in-Command at the Armed Forces Fire Training School before becoming a PNDC member. He lived, served his country at the highest level, and died with his integrity intact.

Flt Lt Rawlings described the late WO1 Adjei Boadi as “rare gem who was extremely efficient, a highly disciplined soldier, and materially incorruptible”.

Speaking about societal values that are important for Ghana as a nation, Mr Rawlings said the national motto of freedom of justice does not exist in a vacuum but relies on human beings with courage and true qualities to make it meaningful.

Flt Lt Rawlings called for the protection of institutions such as the Armed Forces who have the strength of integrity, loyalty and dependency.

The former president described the Ghana Armed Forces as one of the institutions that believe in freedom and justice with a solid conscience stating, “By the time we were leaving office, our Armed Forces had restored the quality and image of being one of the best in the world in terms of being dutiful, determined and conscionable,” he said.

He recalled the fact that when troops from Europe and other parts of the world fled Rwanda during their civil war, only Ghanaian troops, filled with revolutionary zeal, compassion and the passion for justice, stayed behind when matters deteriorated.

“Unfortunately some governments see such qualities as a threat to their corruption and will do anything to destroy such institutions,” the former president added.

The former president decried the lack of respect for elders and those who have sacrificed for some great causes in the country and recalled remarks by a former general who recently attended a party event only to depart in disappointment because the good frontline seats had all been taken by appointees and party officials without any consideration for the true elders who had sacrificed and literally fought for the nation and party’s cause.

The retired general further lamented the fact that in another party, elders, whether they are ministers or not, are always assigned front seats in respect and deference to the roles they have played.

The former president remarked that the fact that the general could not be recognised or acknowledged by the new crop is a serious indictment.

Also present at the ceremony were Nananom, queenmothers, and dignitaries including retired Commander Baffour Assasie Gyimah and Peter Anaafi Mensah, former Ashanti Regional Minister.