Of Corruption And Politics- Can Ghana Ever Win The Fight?

Ghana on Friday December 9, 2011 joined the rest of the world to celebrate world anti- corruption day.

The United Nations' (UN) International Anti-Corruption Day aims at raising public awareness of corruption and what people can do to fight it and is observed on December 9 each year. It is also seen as a time for political leaders, governments, legal bodies and lobby groups to organize events to engage the general public to effectively fight against corruption and fraud in communities.

By resolution 58/4 of October 31, 2003, the UN General Assembly designated the day as International Anti-Corruption Day. The assembly urged all states and competent regional economic integration organizations to sign and ratify the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC). This is the first legally binding, international anti-corruption instrument that provides a chance to mount a global response to corruption.

Corruption itself is an issue that affects all countries around the world. It can refer to the destruction of one's honesty or loyalty through undermining moral integrity or acting in a way that shows a lack of integrity or honesty. It also refers to those who use a position of power or trust for dishonest gain.

Corruption all over the world undermines democracy, creates unstable governments, and sets countries back economically and comes in various forms such as bribery, law-breaking without dealing with the consequences in a fair manner, unfairly amending election processes and results, and covering mistakes or silencing whistleblowers (those who expose corruption in hope that justice would be served).

Corruption is a complex social, political and economic phenomenon that affects all countries and attacks the foundation of democratic institutions by distorting electoral processes, perverting the rule of law and creating bureaucratic quagmires whose only reason for existing is the soliciting of bribes. Economic development is stunted because foreign direct investment is discouraged and small businesses within the country often find it impossible to overcome the "start-up costs" required because of corruption.

In Ghana, corruption has become the most talked about subject in the country with accusation and counter accusations from civil society and political parties and their representatives.

When the administration of President John Evans Atta Mills was inaugurated on January 7, 2001, the former law lecturer and head of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government outdoored the concept of a 'Better Ghana', under which corruption would be banished to the touchline, to enable Ghanaians enjoy the fruits of their labor.

Three years down the line, 'Better Ghana' remains a mere rhetorical slogan, while corruption seems to be gaining root in all spheres of national endeavour according to anti- corruption advocates and especially the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Transparency International, the global civil society organisation leading the fight against corruption, says in its Global Survey that Ghana is getting more corrupt, in spite of the roof-top advertisements of building a 'Better Ghana.'

According to them, Ghana has moved from number 62 of the world's most transparent nation last year with a score of 4.1, to number 69 in 2011, with an aggregate score of 39, indicating that perception of corruption is on the rise and as if to lend credence to this report is the now hottest debate of a purported $20 million dollar office complex by the ruling government which raises much concern about its war against corruption as promised by the President especially considering the conflicting reports and responses from the President's own party executives about the source of funding and the actual cost of the much talked-about yet to completed edifice.

Deputy Minister of Information, Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwah reacting to the above ranking conveyed government's disappointment in the ratings especially when the government had signed onto the Extractive Industry Transparency Index (EITI), accounted for every single drop of oil produced so far, moved the Right to Information Bill from cabinet to Parliament, installed new scanners at the airport to check the drug menace, strengthened the Economic and Organized Crimes Office, collaborated with the media, in addition to the president making snap visits to the Tema Harbour and offices of the Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) where reforms are being implemented in a bid to fight corruption.

The Christian Council of Ghana (CCG) in collaboration with the Fellowship of Christian Councils and Churches in West Africa (FECCIWA) recently organized an anti-corruption symposium to educate the youth and Christians to stay away from corrupt practices.

The theme of the symposium was: ³Corruption is Evil - Fight It Now². It was attended by about a 100 participants from church youth groups, students groups and Christian mothers. According to her, corruption was not only perpetuated by politicians or public officers but the youth and students also engaged in corruption by refusing to study but buy examination question papers from dubious people and this is very worrying especially considering the fact that the youth are seen as the ones to take over the future of the country.

Real progress in improving governance and reducing corruption seems to be slow and hard to come by. Apart from distorting the economy, breeding poverty and perpetuating injustice, corruption has yet another evil side to it.

Most organized crime like drug trafficking and human trafficking, forest and wild life crimes, illegal mining and fishing operates and is sustained through corruption and these are all on the increase in the Ghana with the citizens accusing their leaders of contributing to the existence of such practices.

So what should be done to nip corruption in the bud?

To solve any problem, one has to invest in countering it.

The way anti-corruption agencies are designed is crucial; do they have operational autonomy, how the leadership is selected, what about its budget, how much political backing it has, are all vital determinants of performance and effect? When an agency fighting corruption is backed and financed by government, it makes it difficult for them to really investigate and remain neutral when that same government and its officials fall victim and need to be brought to justice.

Further on, having institutions whose only business is to fight corruption. There is no point in having, an excellent investigation agency, putting up cases before a corrupt or slow moving court system as it is being alleged in Ghana's court system by some members and 'foot soldiers' of the ruling government who claim the courts and its judges are doing the bidding of the members of the previous government who have been hauled before it for charges on various corrupt practices during its eight years in power but If an accused can manage to delay sentence with the help of corrupt judges and lawyers and go on appealing, each taking several years, then that is subversion of justice and definitely put the brakes of justice on hold in fighting corruption.

Therefore, there is a need to work on the criminal justice system as a package to improve the fight against the practice.

The enactment of a Right to Information Act and its widespread use by civil society to fight corruption and enforce accountability is also seen as a very important way of fighting the canker where the general public will have access to information about public officials and state institutions and how they run their day to day activities especially in the areas of corruption.

Several such game "changers" are needed in the long battle against corruption and anti corruption advocates hope the 'right to information' bill currently before parliament will be accorded the needed attention to fight against corruption instead of just become one of the many Legislative Instruments (LI) with no use.

It is however very important to note that it is not the business of the government alone to fight corruption. Everyone is affected and therefore every one must get involved. Civil society, press, religious institutions and the people have an equal or bigger role.

All over the world, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) like Alliance For Accountable Governance (AFAG), the Commission For Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) in Ghana are edging out the government as the leader in this fight but with all their efforts, it will still depend on us as individuals to rethink and perhaps reset our minds about the very little things we all do that contributes to corruption.

Former President Kuffour was quoted as saying some time ago that corruption did not start today but from the days of Adam and Eve, it is however the hope that today's man will use their generation to stop corruption once and for all

By Nana Mensah/.xfm95.1/Accra/Ghana (with inputs from online sources)