Corruption can be likened to an endemic cancer that has devastated African societies and impoverished millions. According to the African Union, around $148 billion are stolen from the continent by its leaders and civil servants every year.
As we all know, corruption has been a very common phenomenon in Ghana since Independence. All sections of society, including the police, the military, civil servants Ministers, and even NGOs are all guilty of corruption, one way or the other. Victor Le Vine explained corruption in his book, "Political corruption: the Ghana case," (1975) as bribery, theft and embezzlement arising from a reversion to the unpatriotic winner-takes-all attitude in which power and family relationship prevailed over the rule of law. Even though this is a matter of concern, corruption in Ghana is comparatively less prevalent than in other countries within the region.
Since 2006, Ghana's ranking on the Transparency International Corruption Perception index, has improved slightly. Ghana's CPI score for 2007 was 3.7. This rose to 3.9 in 2009. However, there is the growing perception in Ghana that government related corruption is on the ascendancy. A former NDC minister of sports Alhaji Muntaka Mubarak Mohammed, was relieved of his post for embezzling large sums of state funds for his selfish pleasures. In fact there are surely more instances of corruption in ruling circles that are not public knowledge.
No one understands why Ghana did not sign to the OECD convention on combating bribery. However, we did a good home work by taking steps to amend laws on public financial administration and public procurement. To take a great leap forward in the fight against corruption, a provision was made in the 1992 constitution (Chapter 18, Articles 216 - 230) for the establishment of the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ). The commission is charged, among other things, to "investigate all instances of alleged or suspected corruption and the misappropriation of funds by officials and to take appropriate steps including reports to the Attorney-General and the Auditor-General, resulting from such investigations.”(Clause 218, paragraph e).
Ghana's ace journalist and investigator, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, went under cover to expose corruption at the port. According to him, the Tema Harbour has been turned into a goldmine to satisfy the selfish ends of these officers who work there. These officers from the CEPS, Ghana Police Service, National Security and the Ghana Ports and Harbour Authority would do all it takes to scramble for whatever that comes handy, including bribes. Anas describes the situation at Tema Harbour as a dark and murky world, as security officers collaborated with some clearing agents to steal money belonging to the state through tax evasion, bribes and personal greed. This attitude defeats national revenue mobilisation effort.
Corruption at the harbours puts a major stress on investors, importers and ordinary Ghanaians who bear the brunt of the selfishness and greed of these officers and agencies who overstate the prices.
Anas Aremeyaw Anas posed as a clearing agent from Tiger Shipping Agency and together with a team of agents obtained secret video footage on the daily cases of bribery and corruption that greet importers and business persons who go to the port to clear their goods. Ghanaians were stunned by the massive robbery, bribery and corruption and the harsh realities importers undergo by means of delays, payment of illegal fees and removal of certain parts from the vehicles they bring.
Only heaven knows when Prof. Mills or the enforcement agencies will take action to remove the bad nuts from the Tema Harbour in order to forestall this great loss to the state.
Ghana has a Special Fraud Office which was created by an act of parliament 1993 (Act 466) to investigate and monitor suspected offences provided for by law which appear on reasonable grounds to involve serious financial and economic loss to the State.
The world takes the fight against corruption seriously. It is seen as a serious problem in even the "advanced" developing countries like China and India where foreign companies have learned to factor in bribes as part of the cost of doing business in these countries. Many inter-governmental bodies have specifically addressed the problem. Some of these are: - the UN and EU countries against corruption - OECD countries on combating bribery - COE (Council of Europe), criminal and civil convention on corruption. - OAS (Organisation of American States) also has also an International convention against corruption. The main concern of OAS members is to target those who use the computer to commit an offence (cyber crime). - AU (African Union): AU convention on preventing and combating corruption. These major organs in the world have been rigorously following the behaviour of corrupt leaders and very often freezing their bank accounts in Swiss Banks, when it is proven that these monies were stolen from the country concerned.
For Ghana to develop soundly, all efforts must be made to combat corruption which has the potential to destroy a growing economy in the sense that money that could be used to advance development go into the pockets of individuals. The seriousness of the President of Ghana to combat corruption will be seen if attempt is made to punish all the corrupt officers at Tema harbour.
Written by:Stephen Atta Owusu
Author: Dark Faces At Crossroads
Email: stephen.owusu@email.com
