Current corruption, nepotism worse than what triggered June 4 revolution - Asiedu Nketia

Asiedu Nketia, the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has observed that the level of corruption and nepotism currently being witnessed in the country is worse than the conditions that triggered the June 4 revolution which was led by Jerry John Rawlings.

The NDC scribe has realized that the ‘lack of the spirit of positive defiance’ among Ghanaians has made corruption, nepotism, and abuse of power attractive to politicians and public officeholders.

He said that in the past, because citizens were aware of their allegiance to the country, they never tolerated the actions of corrupt officials. The situation is however different now, Asiedu Nketia has noted.

Asiedu Nketia opined that despite having institutions to deal with corruption, the situation persists due to the lack of willingness on the part of institution heads to defend the public interest.

“What is missing in our democracy which is creating problems of corruption, nepotism, and lack of transparency is the lack of the spirit of positive defiance. We have all the institutions which are designed to check the abuse of power, [but] our problem is the attitude of the people who complain to the institutions.”

“If politicians order security men to turn the guns they have been armed with to protect citizens into suppressing citizens they are to protect, we expect that professional security men and women will say ‘No sir. We have sworn to defend the citizens, so we are on the side of citizens against the reins of power’. How many of our security men can do that?” the opposition scribe asked.

“If public servants are impressed upon by politicians to create opportunities for the politicians to loot state resources, with the spirit of positive defiance we expect the chief directors, directors and other public servants to say ‘No sir,” Asiedu Nketia added.

He advanced that the spirit of positive defiance and prioritization of public interest which he thinks Rawlings embodied should be imbibed in Ghanaians.

“What is happening today? The nepotism we are seeing, the corruption we are seeing, which in several ways can be said to be worse than what prevailed before the June 4 [revolution]. It is happening because we have abandoned the important principles of positive defiance. The best way for us to remember President Rawlings is to go back that principle and pledge to live by them,” Asiedu Nketia said.

He made the comments during a vigil held in honor of Jerry John Rawlings at the Obra Spot in Accra on Sunday, November 15, 2020.

The event was witnessed by thousands of NDC sympathizers and also had the family of the late president in attendance.