Tema, May 8, GNA – Excessive partisan consideration for positions in the State-Owned Enterprise (SOE) and within the Public Sectors are fueling corruption in the country, the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) has unveiled.
Mr. Michael Boadi, GII Fund Raising Manager said “persons appointed into a position based on political considerations, hold allegiance to the appointing person instead of the state, the possibility of their decision being influenced by partisan considerations is very high”.
He said almost all the reported corruption cases were perpetuated by personalities with partisan political connections; “it, therefore, becomes difficult for the state to take action against the perpetrators.
“The States impotency in dealing with political affiliates who indulge in corrupt deals has created fertile ground for corruption and because no required action had been taken, other people are not deterred from indulging in such activities”.
Mr. Boadi was speaking at the 12th monthly stakeholder engagement seminar organized by the Ghana News Agency Tema Regional Office which is a platform rolled out for state and non-state actors to address national issues.
The monthly engagement also serves as a motivational mechanism to recognize the editorial contribution of reporters towards national development in general and the growth and promotion of the Tema GNA as the industrial news hub.
Speaking on the topic: “Is the fight against corruption a mirage or reality? Mr. Boadi said political party campaign financing served as a major bane to the fight and the cause of the increasing corruption in Ghana.
Mr. Boadi said GII had engaged political parties on campaign financing and its repercussions on the country and acknowledged that corruption investigation could take a considerable long time “you have to be meticulous to do it and we are in a country where people don’t volunteer information”.
He urged the media to do intensive investigation on corruption to educate the public on such issues.
Mr. Francis Ameyibor, Ghana News Agency Tema Regional Manager commended journalists among frontline fighters of corrupt public officials even at the peril of their lives.
He encouraged the media practitioners to continue to expose all corrupt activities and persons and create public awareness on the dangers of corruption.
Mr. Ameyibor appealed to all stakeholders to re-visit and re-examine the country’s moral values by ensuring that the necessary citizens’ education on morality was given the needed attention to assist in the fight against corruption.
Mr. Ameyibor urged all public servants to come out and champion the fight against corruption by changing their attitudes towards work since most public servants were being accused of corrupt acts on daily basis.
He called on citizens to make efforts in collaborating with the media to help in naming and shaming all persons engaged in corrupt acts and actions.
GNA