Colonial master mentality of politicians cause of corruption in Ghana - Martin Amidu

Special Prosecutor Martin A.B.K. Amidu has blamed the persistence of corruption in Ghana and elsewhere in Africa and Asia on the colonial master mentality of politicians.

He explained that the politicians tend to see themselves as successors of colonial masters and therefore exploit the people and the resources for their personal use.

Speaking to celebrated journalist, David Ampofo on the Time With David show, Mr Amidu stressed that the canker of corruption is a problem of the political elite or political class who tend to illicitly amass personal wealth instead of governing for the benefit of all citizens.

“The problem with most developing countries; why it is difficult to get rid of corruption is the problem of the political elite who see themselves as a replacement of the colonial master, and therefore must utilise the resources and endowments meant for the totality of the countries and nations for their own greed,” he stated.

The former Attorney-General maintained that the corruption of the political elite is fuelled by greed. And to tame this greed of politicians, the punishment for corruption must be deterrent enough to make people refrain from involving themselves in it.

“Greed is a human thing and therefore you must make the risk for that greed very high to deter people from going there. And as long as you don’t do that it will continue…since they manage the affairs of the country,” he suggested.

Mr Amidu further observed that heads of governments may not be corrupt but their appointees are usually the one involved in corruption. He cited the incorruptibility of Kwame Nkrumah and JJ Rawlings but whose underlings were corrupt thereby making the whole government corrupt.

As Special Prosecutor, Mr Amidu has done very little, leaving many disappointed. But he has blamed noncooperation from state agencies and lack of resources as challenges to his work.