By Prosper K. Kuorsoh, GNA
Kong, (U/W), Sept. 15, GNA – Mr John Yibile,
the Sissala East Municipal Director of the National Commission for Civic
Education (NCCE) has stated that corruption does not only undermine democracy
and rule of law, but debases the moral fibre of society as well.
“Corruption stifles creativity and
initiative; it nourishes mediocrity, demoralises the honest person and robs
generation of their future. Corruption violates the individual’s rights to
economic and social wellbeing and allows for organised crime, armed robbery,
terrorism, vandalism and also threatens human security”, he added.
Mr Yibile was speaking during a community
sensitisation durbar at Kong in the Sissala East Municipality of the Upper West
Region on the “Anti-corruption, Rule of Law and Accountability Programme
(ARAP)” being implemented by the Commission with funding from the European
Union.
He noted that all these and others caused
citizen’s dissatisfaction with the delivery of social services and development,
adding that citizens were considered satisfied when there was high level of
social accountability.
Mr Yibile noted that over the years, there
had been only one sided effort for public officials and institutions to inform
their superiors about their actions, pointing out that this formal sector
top-down approach to accountability in many cases had not been very responsive
and alienated the citizens from participating in matters affecting their livelihood
and total wellbeing.
The NCCE Municipal Director saluted the
media, the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD) Ghana, Imani Ghana, SEND
Ghana, the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), Action for Sustainable Development
(ASUDEV) and Occupy Ghana among others for supporting the course of the
Commission by demanding accountability from state institutions and helping
restore the vital trust between governors and the governed.
Mr Yibile appealed to the citizens to lead
the crusade against corruption in society by reporting all corrupt practices in
their localities to the relevant anti-corruption agencies for the betterment of
society.
Mr Modestus Dangah, the Commission for Human
Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) Director in charge of Sissala West District
and Sissala East Municipal mentioned bribery, misappropriation, embezzlement,
conflict of interest and padding salaries (ghost names) as some forms of
corruption.
He noted that in the fight against
corruption, citizens must play a critical role by demanding accountability from
public officials; avoid voting for corrupt officials during elections; refuse
gifts, cash or liquor during elections and vote for most deserving candidates
who refuse to pay bribe for getting their work done.
Mr Dangah noted that with the reward system
acting as incentive together with the protection offered to minimize risk and
the immunity provided, citizens would feel emboldened to report breaches of the
COC and assist CHRAJ to deal with the breaches, corruption and corrupt
practices.
GNA
