Ghanaians must take responsibility for economic woes - BIA

The Bureau for Internal Affairs (BIA) has said Ghanaians must take an active role in the fight against what it called the creation of artificial economic difficulties to plunder state resources.

A statement issued by Godfred Nkrumah, Coordinating Director of BIA, said siphoning of national resources, corrupt practices, smuggling of foreign currencies outside the country, and other underhand dealings, have become a political tool being used by some unscrupulous Ghanaians and is having rippling effects on every facet of national life.

This, Mr Nkrumah claimed, has been translated into labour unrest because the state of the economy determines the living standard of the people and how they rate the government in power.

Mr Nkrumah observed that the phenomenon had put pressure on government during its first term of office.

He said the vigilance of the public to know what goes on in the financial administration of the country as well as the governance institutions would unveil economic crime and make Ghana one of the best in Africa.

“We must all support government fully to achieve this national interest for the benefit of all," he said.

“We call on government to put in place more measures to protect the interest of the people."

Mr Nkrumah said Ghanaians would welcome any government intention to bring them closer to the corridors of power to enable them feed the Executive with important information about negative acts that undermine the nation and the economy.

BIA is an anti-corruption organisation and also serves as a centre for information gathering on public concerns with the aim of bridging the communication gap between the public and the authorities on issues negatively affecting the nation.