Wednesday, December 31, 2014

LETTERS TO GHANAIANS ARTICLE 01 - Corruption When Did it Started ?

Happiness is not something that you find, it is something you create. Corruption is like resentiment,drinking a poison and hoping it will kill your enemy. Mostly, people corrupt others in the name of helping them to succeed in their endeavor. Almost every Ghanaian child thinks the government is corrupt no matter the political party National Democratic Congress (NDC) or New Patriotic Party (NPP) due to the way people see them. THE GENESIS OF CORRUPT IN GHANA (GOLD COAST) Corruption started few years after the signing of the bond of 1844 when the British government introduced the poll tax ordinance forcing the southern state to pay one shilling per person, after the people realized that,the tax collectors were appointed by the British Governor and not their chiefs.The British governor convinced the chiefs by rewarding items like gun, gun powder,toffee etc to serve as a cover up (bribe) leading to the formation of the Fante Confederation. WHEN CORRUPTION FADED OUT OF THE COUNTRY (GHANA) After governor Sir Gordon Guggisberg assumed office as the representative of Queen Elizabeth II in Gold Coast structures was put in place to solve grievances and misunderstanding in the system leading to the 1951 constitution before even the last governor general Lord Listowel came. AFTER INDEPENDENCE AND CORRUPTION AT ITS MESS Soon after the British left the shores of Gold Coast living behind a debt of about E25 and a total amount of E120 in the state fund. Then President Dr Kwame Nkrumah misconstrued funds although he built many hospitals, schools, cities, dams and others pages won't permit me to mention. Immediately, Dr Nkrumah knew how enjoyable, evitable power was, he made the parliamentary members to pass a law called the Act of detention 1960 which brought into existence the one party system leading to the mass number of parties coming together to form the United Party (UP). Besides Dr Nkrumah corrupted almost all the security services to cope with him. To add salt to injury, Nkrumah after corrupting the security service sentenced any vibrant energetic opposition politician into Nsawam prison (J.B Danquah died in a political prison at Nsawam). Which led to his over thrown in 1966 when on peace keeping assignment. CORRUPTION AS A TERM Corruption refers to the process by which something typically a word or expression is changed from its original use. A corrupt person referring to having or showing a willingness to act dishonesty in return for money ot personal gain, it can also be termed as a dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power (Government, Police officers, Headmasters, Directors) typically involving bribery. Corruption is of main forms but to examine and deal with it successfully, i am classifying it into six (6) forms. i. Corruption at home ii. Corruption in the community iii. Corruption in the church iv. Corruption at the workplace v.Corruption at school vi. Corruption in the country at a large i. CORRUPTION AT HOME The basis of all corruption. Clarity begins at home so the saying goes. Every individual whether great or small can be manipulated to be corrupt depending on the training he or she went through while young. Mothers have been the role models of their children especially girls due to hours they spend with their mothers in the house cooking, bathing, the young ones and dressing them up. Fathers has also become role models of their children even though they are busy doing this and that, every child knows his father to be rich so therefore they always want to be like them. A survey conducted by Ghnewsfilla one influential page on Facebook, on twenty(20) school going children between the ages of 4-10 years showed that children mostly learn from home, the details of the survey are as follows. 12 children representing 60% said they will engage in petty trade when asked their reason was because their mothers are engaged in. 5 children representing 25% said they will be Pilots, Doctors and Bankers since they believe those people are living a luxurious (rich) life. The remaining children (3children) denoting 15% quizzed all sorts of high profile jobs in the country including ; Presidents, Engineers, Lawyers , Members of Parliaments(MPs) to mention few.The funniest thing in their reports is that 3 children representing 15% said they would be President and MPs at the same time. Hence it can be concluded that if children sees their parents as role models then, a parent can corrupt his or her child. Let me cite an example, Maame Abena house-wife has been warned by her husband Mr Ninson that, she should abstain from already prepared foods in the town due to the cholera outbreak, so anytime Maame Abena breaks the order she gives her daugther Esi Ghs 1 in order to be silent when her father asks her. This practice of rewarding Ghs 1 for abuse of law, will generate an idea in the child that anytime she breaks the law she should reward with money (bribe) making the child corrupt anyone who comes her way. ii. Corruption in the community Deeds not words, beautiful and intelligent seems to be what the community in which we live brings us, ignorance is no excuse. Poverty and ugliness doesn't matter in the society grooming the individuals who stays within it. Community defined by one online dictionary.com as a social group of any size whose members reside in a specific locality, share government and often a common cultural and historical heritage. More or less the community influence people. For instance one Zongo youth in Nima-Accra(other words Dancehall City) is one of its kind notorious group (forgive me if you live in that area) in this case, if you live in this community you will surely be corrupt since notorious people are always corrupt. Beside, peer group pressure, social movement and other reside their interests to remain the highest factor in the town. In so doing calculated steps to convinced people by bribing (as money the root of all evil) an individual which comes their way. Corruption can never be dealt with, if you don't have the heart of a warrior. iii. Corruption at work place Few years ago around 2008 during the regime of President J.A Kuffour, many government officials took advantage of the dead of then Finance and Economic Planning Minister Kwadwo Baah Wiredu and loot the country's resources and shared it among themselves per the Auditor General report (AG) freezing many big companies. Let me put that aside, every man works before he put food on his table whether white color jobs or this primary sector work it all earn a living , it depends on how workaholic you would be. I guess one will be asking is armed robbery and prostitution a job ? my answer is exactly what you think is it ! but before then you hear people saying day-in and day-out that, private institutions earns three times profit than government institutions (public) and the reason is always that public sector is corrupt. Recent Auditor General reports showed that, the National Service Scheme (NSS) members payroll list is full of ghost names that is, forged names by highly members of the NSS and the case in pending in court as i write. Corruption at the workplace cannot be explained fully without citing embarrassment and dismissal due to turning down of his|her illy wish. Taking the school as an example, a headmaster and his board of directors of a certain school (name with- held) in Ghana admitted 500 students instead of 750 on the government slot and offer the remaining 250 to public who in one way or the other could not get placement. Also talking about CEOs having an affair before he|she would be promoted in their endeavor. IV CORRUPTION IN THE HOME Gather Dee every now and then and worship me, the holy scriptures advises every being to behave and abide in the word. The church which comprises of the Pastor, Elders and the congregation are surrounded by both good and bad things. In recent times, you hear pastors stealing offertories, secretaries not recording church tithes and most especially the pastors and elders creating and looting of offertory, In Ghana after burial service on Saturday, Sunday service is reserved as thanks giving service called in the local dialect (Twi) as 'Nne ase' many church including Miracle Temple (name of mother church with held upon advice) force mourners of the dead to donate an item which will service as memorable in so doing if the items haven't been bought already money is charged for that, they take the money without doing the task of it. Excessive pride is a familiar sin, but a man may just as easily frustrate the will of God through excessive humility. CORRUPTION IN THE SCHOOL If you think education is expensive try ignorance words from corrupt school children (adult) and most tutors been bribed by students. Basically, corruption in school brings a whole lot. Corruption in school can be categorized into five forms, i. Class prefect and member of his|here class ii. Student and fellow Student iii. Class teacher and Student iv. Teacher and headmaster v. Headmaster and parent Imaging a student choose school X and couldn't gain access to the school, he will try every hook and eye to enter the school so doing the school. Corruption has no formula the smarter always find his way out. Many organizations comprising of primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions involve a certain term called protocol thus a special number of slots are given to high dignities in the institution so they can enroll a given number of people. In this way some sells their slots to unqualified people and receiving money in exchange. CORRUPTION IN THE COUNTRY Africa has been referred as the richest continent populated with poor people all in the name of few politician and Chiefs pocketing the riches. Like yhe Watson Commission was set up to investigate the causes of the 1948 riot so has corruption come so far to affect the individual, group and the country as a large to end. Ghana has been a victim of corruption politicians are now rather politrickians and not politicians. In Ghana this 'Politrickians' are like a wolves in sheep clothing they invest their capital bribing and influencing normal poor Ghanaian to become president and Members of Parliament (MP) and they say they will ripe the money they invested during the campaign. During the 2012 campaign season then General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Lawyer Kwadwo Owusu Afrenyie popularly called Sir John said at a gargantuan rally held at Mantse Agboena that all the grassroot members know that they aren't in power so they don't have strong finance and the NDC are chopping and emptying the country's fund. This is a clear case that every government steal money to bribe the normal ideal Ghanaian. Corruption can never be tackle without mentioning the Ghana Police Service . Throughout Ghana there is no District which doesn't have a Police Office or check point. Anytime a driver gets to a check point an amount of not less than Ghs 1 will be demanded, it doesn't matter the fault whether speeding the money is very vital to them. P. J. O. Rourke ones said no drug, not even alcohol causes the fundamental ills of society. If we are looking for the source of our troubles, we shouldn't test people for drugs, we should test them for stupidity, ignorance good and love for power. There is also a saying two wrongs doesn't make it right. W hen a Police catch a driver for reckless driving and arrest him and demand for money all the two people are corrupt. Lawyers and the law making fraternity are one area whom opinion polls organized by most credible institution point out to be corrupt. Adding icing to cake, lawyers are people who influence the day to day activity of the legal body. I always ask myself so do we allow armed robbers caught red handed to justify for wrong doing all in the name of human right ? Is human right really a right for law breakers ? I am sure your guess is right as mine. About five years ago a Tema circuit court allowed famous robbers to justify their case which ended up that the robbers won and were set free. GHANA'S TAKE CONCERNING CORRUPTION Even though action they say speak more than words. But its seems Ghanaian political actors has done and dealt with corruption with their fantastic succulent lips but in reality Ghana is corrupt like Bob Marley and weed, rotting like tomatoes. Since 1992 every government has tried fighting corruption leading to formation of several institutions, groups and movement. In December a survey conducted by CPI 2014 showed that Ghana ranked 61 out 175 countries showing a massive improvement than other African countries. In an attempt to stop corruption many anti-corruption agents including Ghana Anti-corruption Coalition (GACC), CHRAJ, WAGSI to mention a few has over the years received support towards the implementation of such anti-corruption moves. Anything which has a beginning has an end,therefore i rest my case on corruption.