The Executive Director for the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Sulemana Briamah, says corruption can only be curtailed if public sector thievery is checked.
He suggested that public sector stealing should be called what it is and not the fanciful name we often call it, which encourages persons to indulge in the act.
“Public sector thievery, which is often fancifully referred to as corruption has become the new norm. The lack of public sector accountability and the alarming rate of public sector corruption has been a name. Various reports indicate that Ghana loses about $3 billion to public sector corruption annually and that is the same amount we have spent months begging the IMF for, and now we are asked to celebrate because we have secured the bailout.”
According to him, Ghana loses $3 billion annually to public sector thievery, adding that public sector thievery has done more harm than good.
The Executive Director, who was speaking at the African Union Day celebrations at the University of Education, Winneba, said institutions that are supposed to lead the fight against corruption are themselves engaged in the act.
“The 2022 Afro Barometer report revealed that the top four institutions that should be at the forefront of the fight against corruption are incidentally the most corrupt. The police who are supposed to arrest the corrupt, are the most corrupt. The presidency that is supposed to be leading the fight against corruption is the second most corrupt. Parliament that is supposed to be making the laws in combating corruption are the third most corrupt and Judges and Magistrates that are supposed to be exacting punishment to the corrupt are the fourth most corrupt. And so in this situation, the question is who will be arresting who and who will be prosecuting who and who will be sacking who for corruption.”
