General News of Saturday, 14 May 2016
Source: Myjoyonline.com
Abdul Malik Kwaku Baako
Veteran journalist Abdul Malik Kwaku Baako has pointed out the positives in President Mahama’s efforts to fight corruption.
The Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper pointed out that the president has “done somethings” in busting a syndicate at the National Service Secretariat, a state agency responsible for posting tertiary graduates for one-year voluntary service.
At least 35 NSS officials, including regional regional directors, were arraigned resulting in the conviction of seven people. At least GHC7.9 million has been retrieved after some officials who had created non-existent profiles of tertiary graduates to present for allowances.
Abdul Malik Kwaku Baako credited President Mahama for fighting corruption at the National Service Scheme.
“Perhaps the efforts are good but not good enough,” Baako on the Joy FM and MultiTV’s news analysis programme, NEWSFILE.
President John Mahama’s anti-corruption record is up for assessment with Ghanaians set to go to the polls in November 2016.
The President has pointed out that Ghana’s improved rankings on the Transparency International Corruption Index is evidence of his good efforts.
According to the veteran journalist, the politicization of the fight against corruption is holding back governments from making giant strides.
If governments treat the anti-corruption crusade as football where all you need to do to win is to outscore the opponent, then the real problem will persist.
“It is been looked at it in terms of parties, governments and so everybody is calculating maybe I scored three, and you scored two,” he said.
Baako also explained that much of the fight against corruption in the country is due to the efforts by civil society organizations like Occupy Ghana.
Transparency International 2015 report has acknowledged the private efforts of individuals and non-state pro-accountability bodies a responsible for Ghana’s improved standing on the Corruption Perception Index.
On his part, Communication Consultant for the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Eric Ametor Quarmyne blamed the canker of corruption on the breakdown of societal values.
He said the prevailing culture heaps admiration on rich people even if their source of wealth is questionable.
Mr. Quarmyne said “No matter how many laws you put in place, no matter what stringent measure you put in place, if society itself is not ready to disown people who are seen to have been corrupt…it make the fight very difficult.”
He encouraged Ghanaians to begin questioning persons who become rich overnight.