Integrity will solve Africa's problems - Professor

Accra, Aug. 27, GNA - Professor Ankrah Badu, a medical doctor at the Korle- Bu Teaching Hospital on Saturday noted that the lack of integrity was the major cause of the numerous problems facing the African Continent. He observed that Africa, though the second largest continent and the most resourced, it had become the poorest due to poor governance and blatant corruption.

"We are saddled with high infant mortality; low life expectancy; low quality of life; widespread civil unrest and large refugee populations," he said when he addressed a leadership seminar and fourth graduation ceremony of the Sundoulos Africa Leadership Training (SALT) Institute. The SALT Institute, a subsidiary of the Intercessors for Africa is a charitable organization aimed at training leaders, who would display servant leadership in Africa. Prof. Ankrah Badu said good governance should identify people, who would help to build nations and not people who would bootlick or work for personal interests.

Using Abraham Lincoln and Edwin Stayton of the United States of America as examples, he pointed out that though the two personalities were in different political parties, Lincoln did not hesitate to work with Stayton as his defence Minister when he won the elections. He said hypocrisy was prevailing in the Ghanaian society, hence the moral bankruptcy. Describing a hypocrite as a person, who was not himself on Sunday, Prof. Badu said: "We throng the churches and other religious assemblies at the weekends while we do our own things outside these premises." He expressed concern about the level of corruption in every stage of the society and said it had become a competitive sport.

Prof. Badu mentioned drug abuse; drug trafficking; homosexuality and lesbianism; visa fraud; cyber fraud; paedophilia; "419 scam"; sex tourism as vices that bred corruption and social disorder and advised the youth against them. He called on the graduates to intervene with prayer to halt the economic and moral degeneration. "You will have to demonstrate a high sense of integrity in your work places. With time and with the support of the Holy Spirit you will change the work ethics of your colleagues," he said. The Reverend Emeka Nwankpa, who chaired the ceremony, reiterated the need to demonstrate integrity in all aspect of life, stressing that the lifelong aim of SALT Institute was to train people to serve the present generation in the will of God.

Dr Mrs Fatima Alabo, coordinator of the SALT Programme, said encouraging servant leadership was a key to development. She noted that many organizations; corporate bodies; the Civil Service and even homes were dominated by leaders, who did not fear God and said leadership was spiritual and must go according to the will of God.