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Opinions of Tuesday, 23 June 2020

Columnist: Dickson Anane Adusei

It takes 'debt-free' politicians to fight corruption

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What does it take to curtail corruption in a country like Ghana?

I reckon it will take volumes to address this “pandemic” but before politicians look for a cheap antidote by pointing fingers at their opponents within and outwit their political parties, I suggest they start to look within their own political policies and processes of how people are elected to become members of parliaments(MP).

I am talking about the monetary cost of becoming an MP.

Most of our “honourable” MPs have to dig deep into their pockets and even take loans to grease the palms of people so they can be voted into power.

Their visions of improving their constituencies is off less significance
so they start their political career with debt which they have to find ways and means to pay off.

How do such MPs help fight corruption?

How will a county fight corruption if the political process of electing involves corruption?

I think political parties have to reimagine the way they conduct business and elect people who will come to the office “debt-free”. Only then can they clean the unbiased conscience to perform their duties without getting corrupted.

Serious political parties have to ask themselves: What is the end to end process of electing MPs?

At which stage is there a potential of money changing hands?

As the Bible says in Psalm 11:3 - “What can the righteous do if the foundation is wrong “

I love my country.