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Opinions of Wednesday, 28 December 2022

Columnist: Joel Savage

Refrain from mocking Ghana; pastors are not a cure for corruption

File photo of the Ghana flag File photo of the Ghana flag

Every time I witness Ghanaians or Africans, in general, trying to resolve a problem through religion, even if that is never the solution to that problem, I feel a great sense of embarrassment. The globe is currently grappling with two severe issues: drug trafficking and corruption. Poverty and health concerns are caused by the effects of these two issues.

Governments have implemented harsher penalties, such as imprisonment or death sentences because the war against corruption and drug trafficking has been an empty dream with no results. For instance, in China, the punishment for corruption is so harsh that many people flee the country, whereas corrupt officials in the United States of America are imprisoned.

Therefore, why does the Ghanaian government, which prides itself on being democratic, following the USA, will choose to use pastors to address its corrupt issues rather than locking them up in jail? No politician or president is willing to enact a law to imprison corrupt Ghanaian politicians because every government that comes to power cannot function without corruption.

Considering how corruption has impacted Ghana's infrastructure, particularly the health and education sectors, the question is how long this can continue. Ghana's corruption is so bad that it keeps denying poor people access to decent living conditions and jobs. Why is corruption ruining Ghana but no administration wants to take significant action to reduce it, while serious governments find the proper solutions to problems?

Asian governments instituted the death sentence after realizing that drugs are killing their citizens despite their best efforts to combat them. As a result of enacting the death sentence for drug trafficking violations, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, North Korea, South Korea, and the Philippines do not see the same effects of drugs on their populations as other nations without laws.

Ghana is so severely corrupt that a corrupt politician can file a lawsuit against the Special Prosecutor and the journalist who first exposed him to have the investigations into illegal mining against him stopped. The fact that Charles Bissue believes he will win because the president has wrecked the system with corrupt judges who rule in favor of NPP didn't surprise me in the least.

Even though Ghana is already in ruins, no intellectual person or judge in that country has been forewarned by this carnage that the aftermath may have long-term effects and affect the economy and future. While globalization and the emergence of the global economy have made it possible for corruption to reach the worldwide level and become one of the most pervasive and destructive phenomena of our day, after sixty-five of independence, Ghana wants pastors to solve the corruption problems.

Even wealthy nations lose billions to corruption and money laundering today, despite strong laws, heavier punishment, and sophisticated systems designed to combat it. Therefore, it is foolish and ignorant for a government to employ religion to fight corruption in Ghana, a developing country.

Since Ghanaian politicians cannot function without corruption, they are unable to put effective laws against it into place, out of fear that their laws would catch them. They should cease misleading the public the way Akufo Addo did if they are afraid of being jailed by the law and hence won't act morally. Even though the current president pledged to safeguard the public's finances, corruption has increased.

When Sir John Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie's assets were revealed in his will following his death, Ghanaians couldn't believe what they saw. The Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, has received criticism from Ghanaians for being dishonest and ineffective, but after freezing the late politician's assets, Akufo Addo, the president who claimed to protect the public’s purse, gave the order to be released.

When it came down to it, the Special Prosecutor was so upset by Akufo Addo's actions that he declared that "Ghana will lose the corruption war if Sir John's judgment holds." However, nothing positive came from it. In Ghana, corruption has run amok and is wreaking havoc on all of its infrastructures, without a solution. Akufo Addo is not a man who understands the meaning of shame; his administration includes corrupt officials like Eugene Arhin, Charles Bissue, and Paul Adom-Otchere.

Akufo Addo destroyed an entire community hospital without replacing it, and his extravagant spending and corruption contributed to the nation's economic collapse and massive debt without any accountability. Consider the amount of money squandered on a cathedral whose construction hasn't yet begun. How can a person like that lead effectively? However, many people continue to fail to recognize the threat that lies in waiting for us.

Just about a day earlier, the same president, Akufo Addo, was in the news, calling Ghanaians to make sacrifices to improve their nation. Where is the head of this president? Although I have no reason to question the Bible's assertion that God made man in his image, I occasionally wonder why, excuse me while I say, most black people are unable to think normally.

Despite the immense resources on the continent, Africans have never solved a problem there; as a result, the continent has not developed. I will continue to write about the adoption of a severe law by parliament to imprison dishonest Ghanaian politicians until the day I die, since their deeds have wrecked the country, leaving the weak and destitute without a job or hope for the future.