Stinking corruption killing Ghana - Antigraft Crusader

Corruption is the bane of Ghana’s development challenges and the earlier ways are sought to deal with it in order to foster the needed development to inure to the benefit of the citizenry, the better”, a former Member of Parliament (MP) for Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa, Hon P C Appiah Ofori has observed.

“Corruption is seriously wreaking havoc to our economy because we have monies that are supposed to be used for various developmental projects diverted into personal pockets crippling the economy”, he disclosed on Kumasi-based Abusua Fm.

While indicating that corrupt practices are not peculiar to Ghana and worse in other African countries, he underscored the urgent need for measures to be adopted in curbing the canker that has bedeviled the country.

“Corruption is a general problem in Africa but worse in areas like Nigeria. We are currently suffering as a country because of corruption and I am sure the current president will take steps in dealing with the situation”, he expressed hope.

In his view, public servants are very pivotal in corrupt practices in the country contrary to the claims the politicians are at the fore when it comes to shady deals and embezzlement of state funds.

Meanwhile, the president has stated that donor support to the budgets of the Ministries of Education, Health and Gender, Children and Social Protection, in 2016, is equal to the revenue allegedly diverted by some 19 customs officials who were arrested recently.

It will be recalled that three (3) weeks ago, the country’s law enforcement agencies cracked allegedly a syndicate of 19 persons at the Tema Harbour, comprising customs officials and representatives of three clearing and freight forwarding agencies, who were allegedly responsible for the loss of some GH¢1.2 billion in revenue to the state.

Referring to figures from the Ministry of Finance, President Akufo-Addo stated that the budget for the Ministry of Health in 2016 amounted to some GH¢2.9 billion. Out of this amount, GH¢743 million, representing 26% of the Ministry’s budget, was financed by overseas donors.