Corrupt, Inefficient State Institutions

--one major cause of

underdevelopment in Africa

by

Samuel Donkor

For many years now, Africa has been observed to be lacking behind in development

progress and advancement.

Socio-economic development has come to a standstill, coupled with bad

governance, lawlessness, social and economic crisis,

inspite of the riches of the continent for the past 50years.

The long period of military regimes is another cause of this problem, a legacy

left by these regimes.Hence the current wind blowing across the globe, is the

demand for good governance,fight against corruption, democracy and education for

all, which are the basic criteria for receiving full financial and material

support and assistance from the industrial countries and world financial bodies.

The absence of these factors have been the major causes retarding Africa's

development progress, since the first political leaders were ousted during the

cold war. It is the canker of greed, corruption, dictatorship and lawlessness

coupled with ignorance, that set and continue to set Africa back in development

progress.

For many years now, critics and experts on Africa have blamed solely politicians

for Africa's underdevelopment,without critically

looking at auxiliary causes or accomplices in bad governance.

Institutions of state are the arms of government mandated to implement and

administer government programs and policies, monitor and supervise the proper

executions of these programs, projects, application of rules and regulations to

achieve desired results.

In Ghana, these institutions of state, which were once very active and

efficient, immediately after independence, with patriotic,

nationalistic and committed civil and public servants, became gradually

uncommitted, corrupt, inefficient and passive, after the ousted of the first

republic by inexperienced military administrators.

These military administrators focused only on areas they could make personal

wealth to the neglect of moral and civil values, discipline, patriotism and

standard norms. They instead, created avenues for the growth of corruption,

nepotism in the public sector, resulting in social disorder, apathy and

lawlessness to this day, a legacy the present civilian administrations are

grappling with.

The government institutions and agencies mandated to implement and administer

state programs and policies, have gradually sank into corruption, mismanagement

and apathy to this day.They are a major contributing cause to the setback and

lack in development progress in Ghana.

But the truth of the matter is that, for many years now, since the overthrow of

the first republic, these institutions of state have become so corrupt and

inefficient that, instead of being catalysts to good governance, they have

rather become thorns in the flesh of good governance, hence retarding

development progress in Ghana to this day.

These institutions of state are also refered to as gold mines for civil and

public servants in Ghana and for that matter Africa as a whole.

In Ghana, these state institutions have failed the people in the course of good

governance and development for many years now, since the ousted of the first

republic under military regimes up to this times of civilian administrations.

They are not in anyway committed to change despite fruitless efforts to

restructure and re-orientate the civil and public service in line with current

demands for accelerated development progress by successive civilian

administrations in the 4th republic.

Very important institutions like the Town and Country Planning Commission, Town

and City Engineers' offices, the Assemblies, Lands Commission etc, which are

supposed to manage the proper building and development regulations in the towns

and cities are so corrupt and ineffective that, our towns and cities are in a

mess and chaos without a dint of beauty or picturesque instinct.

Buildings and structures are put up anywhere, even on waterways, proposed roads

and community parks, school lands and many other violations of planning laws

under the very eyes of officials and with approval from these same institutions

in charge.

An aerial view of Accra and the other cities in Ghana reveals to you how

scramble and chaotic our cities are, without planning and beauty. The filth and

sanitation situation is a mess resulting in unhygienic and stinking

environment.

The utility service providers, like water and sewage company, Electricity

company,etc, are corrupt and inefficient in their delivery services, with a lot

of malfeasants and wastage around .We see many illegal connections and

disparities in billing systems, power and water distributions, which are mostly

compromised by workers with customers is common.These service providers are also

very wasteful. An inspection around the cities and the countryside reveals real

wastage of materials lying around unprotected to the mercy of the weather, theft

and fire for many years. Leakages and spills of water is very common, especially

in Accra city.

Shoddy work is another negative culture of workers of state institutions costing

the government more and double on projects and programs. We see abandoned

manholes and trenches scattered around the cities causing dangers to the public

and defacing the beauty designs of our roads.

We have the roads and highways, where shoddy works and dishonesty is compromised

, resulting in early deterioration of roads and abandoned unfinished roads

scattered around the country. .

The police service is worst in terms of security and human right of the citizen.

The service is so corrupt that, the poor ordinary citizen and the public as a

whole have no confidence in it.The police -public relationship is for many

years now at zero point.

The people allege, ''the police is there for the rich and priveldged alone.

'Dare report a case to the police, when you have no money and you regret it'',

they say.

Custom and Migration services are the same with corruption and compromises at

the ports and borders of the country.

The judicial service is another public institution in which the people have lost

confidence. Here too, favoritism, protectionism

and perversion of justice is common and the most victims being ordinary poor

people. Real culprits with connections and money are left to walk the streets

with their chest out. Here again we experience the culture of 'Class society and

Whom you know still reigning high. '' We have cases where innocent suspects are

still thrown behind bars. But a member of organized crime is seldom arrested.

If arrested, he is rarely indicted.If indicted, rarely brought to trial. If

tried, rarely convicted. If convicted, rarely imprisoned. If imprisoned, quickly

released,''unquote by John Rafferty

This is the so called ''Rule of Law'' prevailing in Ghana and for that matter

Africa, where criminals and culprits with political connections are set free.

The Civil service, which is the sector administrators of government policies is

not an Angel.Here too, there are a lot of waste and negative attitude towards

work and the public.Deliberate delays in communications, documentations and

actions create room for corruption, a strategy common in these offices.

All in all, state institutions and the public sector , as a whole are one major

cause of Ghana's underdevelopment, progress stagnation,and bad governance.

These state institutions and agencies have become gold mines for government

officials and public servants, who have also become lords, who expect to be

kotowed, before rendering service, when they are there to serve the

people.Finally, it can be concluded that, government officials and public

servants of state institutions have for many years now been a thorn in the flesh

of good governance and developmen against the people of Ghana.

I write you the truth, politicians, public servants and for that matter

technocrats and educated professionals are the causes of the woes of

underdevelopment in Ghana. Their commitment to nationalism and patriotism faded

out since the first republic.Today, they have become greedy, dishonest, one way

or the other, corrupt, unpatriotic,apathetic, unproductive and passive. They

have failed to help sincerely, successive governments to accelerate policies

and programs to achieve desired results, but rather exploit mistakes and

loopholes to enrich themselves.Their focus on enriching themselves has caused

them to loose foresight, lack innovation and creativity, hence the progress

stagnation and lawlessness we are in for many years now.

The failure of politicians to fire public servants and cronies, who commit

serious offense, fraud and embezzlement and who do not perform well, because of

their unholy alliance of -''scratch my back- I scratch your back,'' is a

negative sign of mistrust, failure and abuse of office by government

officials in the eyes of the public.

Finally, finally, I write you the truth, no government will succeed in its

development programs and policies, if politicians, civil and public servants do

not commit themselves sincerely to nationalism and patriotism, honesty and

selfless character to help and support government in power, to accelerate growth

and development to achieve desired results to move the nation forward. Our

professionals and technocrats should strive to achieve excellence and not being

satisfied with mediocrity when in priveldged positions, because of greed.

I write you the truth, ''Do not be deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a

man soweth , that shall he also reap.''Gal.6:7

by

Samuel Donkor, Mob: 0242 809352 e-mail samdonkies@yahoo.com ..