Corruption aggravates diseases – Deputy UWR Minister

By Charles Chedar, GNA

Wa, Oct 02, GNA – The Deputy Upper West
Regional Minister, Mr Amidu Chinnia Issahaku, has advised citizens to support
the National Anti-corruption Action Plan (NACAP) to fight graft as the menace
causes low living standards and worsen diseases.

He also attributed the slow pace of Ghana’s
economic development and Africa as a whole to lack of continuous and concerted
efforts to fight unbridled corruption.

The Deputy Minister was speaking during NACAP
Regional Awareness Campaign in Wa, which was organized by Ghana Integrity
Initiative (GII) in collaboration with CHRAJ and the Ghana News Agency (GNA).

The 2018 campaign was under the theme: “Ghana
United Against Corruption”.

Mr Issahaku noted that corruption remained an
economic problem that even aggravates diseases in the world, which causes low
standard of living and poverty among citizens.

“The amount of money lost through corrupt
activities can help solve most of our basic challenges,” he said.

Government has introduced a number of
legislations and policies – public procurement and financial management act –
to check graft which would ensure value for money, control expenditure and
boost transparency in the public sector.

He said collective actions were required by
both government and citizens to deal decisively with corruption for improved
development.

“To fight against corruption cannot be done by
only the government and it requires the help of the citizens, the media and the
civil society organizations to succeed,” he said.

Deputy CHRAJ Commissioner Mr Richard Quayson
said Ghana loses GH¢13.5 billion every year through corruption.

He urged citizens to support the fight in
order to protect and preserve the integrity of the country for coming
generations.

GNA