Ghanaians must not entertain another greedy double salary grabbing MPs

It is almost six years since the chilling vineyard news spiralled through that some NDC Members of Parliament have allegedly grabbed double salaries at the expense of the destitute, the infirm, and disadvantaged Ghanaians.

Regrettably, however, as I write, nothing meaningful has been done towards bringing the suspects to book.

I must confess that I had mixed feelings when I read some time ago that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service had submitted the dockets on the investigations of the double salary grabbing NDC Members of Parliament to the Attorney General’s Office for advice.

My incertitude stemmed from the fact that Ghana’s justice system tends to clampdown heavily on the goat, cassava and plantain thieves, and more often than not, let go the stubbornly impenitent criminals who hide behind the narrow political colorations.

Ghanaian politics has become an embarrassing profession, not a noble profession it used to be. Suffice it to say, it takes good people—good citizens and leaders with impeccable integrity and unmatched commitment to build a prosperous nation.

Yet a lot of people who can claim birth right to steadfast adherence to moral or ethical code would never go into politics.

I presume they dislike the toxic levels of partisanship. They hate the intrusive media scrutiny and they aren’t ready to pay the high personal costs of political life.

Once upon a time, anyone who gained a seat in parliament was looked up to and respected by all. Alas this is not the case anymore.

It is quite nauseating to see some public officials who prefer to be called honourable behaving somewhat dishonourably.

How can honourable Members of Parliament knowingly keep double salaries to the detriment of the poor and the disadvantaged Ghanaians?

It beggars belief that individuals could form an alliance, create, loot and share gargantuan sums of money belonging to the state and would eventually slip through the justice net.

If the law can excuse a suspected double salary grabbing Member of Parliament from prosecution, the law might as well make room for the equally important contributors such as farmers, teachers, doctors among others.

Why must we allow a section of the population to perpetrate criminalities and then hide behind the law?

I have always maintained that if we are ever prepared to beseech the fantastically corrupt public officials to only return their loots without any further punishment, we might as well treat the goat, plantain and cassava thieves same. For after all, what is good for the goose is good for the gander.

I am afraid, the democratic country called Ghana may not see any meaningful development, so long as we have public officials who are extremely greedy, corrupt, and insensitive to the plight of the impoverished Ghanaians.

It may sound somewhat hackneyed in the ears of some observers, but the fact remains that we began life with the likes of South Korea, Malaysia and Singapore, and, look at where they are today.

They are diligently making cars, Mobile phones, electronics, good roads and good housing. And, they have put in place pragmatic policies and programmes to developed their respective countries and just look at where we are today.

Disappointingly, however, we now go to those countries we started life with, and beg for donations, or borrow money--do you recall the STX housing deal which was unsuccessfully pursued by Mills/Mahama administration, and yet cost us a staggering $300 million ? I weep for my beloved Ghana.

Obviously, we need a true leadership with vision and ideas, altruistic and charismatic leadership devoid of corruption, greed, Incompetence and capable of transforming us into an industrialized and robust economy.

Where is the fairness when the political thieves could shamefully dip their hands into the national purse as if there is no tomorrow and go scot free, while the goat, cassava and plantain thieves are incarcerated?

I have always insisted that there is no deterrence for political criminals. If that were not the case, how come political criminals more often than not, go through the justice net, despite incontrovertible evidence of wrong doing?

The law is not a respecter of persons, and therefore the alleged double salary NDC Members of Parliament must be investigated thoroughly and those who are found culpable of wrong doing be prosecuted.

After all, the right antidote to curbing the unbridled sleazes and corruption is through stiff punishments, including the retrieval of all stolen monies, sale of properties and harsh prison sentences.

K. Badu, UK.

k.badu2011@gmail.com