Corruption thrives on dishonesty – Catholic Bishop
Bishop Joseph Osei Bonsu, President of the Catholic Bishops Conference on Monday observed that corruption thrives in the society because people are not guided by integrity.
He said corruption is evident in all facets of life including politics the public and private sectors and this is a major hindrance to national development.
Bishop Osei Bonsu made the observation at the Launch of a National Anti Corruption Campaign which will mainly be a media platform to raise public and civic awareness of the debilitating effects of the canker.
The campaign paraphernalia was launched along Scandal, a weekly newspaper spearheaded by the Centre for Freedom and Accuracy (CFA) and Tiger Eye PI.
Bishop Osei Bonsu therefore called on Ghanaians to join hands to tackle corruption to help sustain national progress.
Ghana ranks 64 in Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI). The country moved down two spots from its 2008 ranking, with a score of 3.9 out of 10.
This according to Bishop Osei Bonsu was an indication that the nation is not winning the war on corruption.
He noted that the launch of the campaign shows that there is positive light at the end of the tunnel.
Ms Marrieta Brew Appiah Oppong, Attorney General and Minister of Justice who launched the Campaign, admitted that corruption could have a detrimental effect on an economy and quoted the World Bank saying one trillion dollars is lost through corruption each year
She said engaging in corrupt practices also creates a very unfavourable business environment by encouraging unfair advantage.
Ms Brew Appiah Oppong, said although Ghana has all the necessary institutions in place and known to be a religious nation with a blend of Christianity, Islam and traditional religion “it beats one’s imagination why corruption still thrive.
She pledged her ministries support to the campaign and noted that it is the dawn of a new era.
Mr Andrew Awuni, Executive Director of CFA said the partnership between CFA and Tiger Eye PI is a means of jolting Ghanaians out of what appears to be a very deep and dangerous slumber.
He recounted a number of corrupt practices that had happened in schools, public and private institutions and instances where students bribe their teachers for high grades.
“The phenomenon of corruption has eaten deep into the very foundation of our nation and continues to do so even as we speak and if we don’t wake up to this reality and make a collective national vow to arrest the situation, it will not be long before the state will be rendered redundant and its dependents hopeless,.” he said.
He said he together with Investigative Journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas are making a call to the nation, its elders and gatekeepers and the people to soberly reflect on their action and repent.
”It is time we say no to corruption for the sake of our children and for the sake of our nation,” he added.
He said corruption kills, maims, destroys and an evil that is unacceptable and it is time to name and shame those who persist in the disgraceful conduct and also name and honour those who steadfastly resist the temptation.
Mr Anas, Chief Executive of Tiger Eye PI also called for all hand on deck to nib corruption in the bud because the nation is losing millions of cedis as a result.
Mr Emile Short, former Commission for Human Rights Administrative Justice boss who chaired the function, called on the initiators not to lose hope but fight till corruption is minimised.
He charged the Ministry of Justice and the security agencies to galvanise meaningful action to give meaning to the initiative.
Source: GNA