OPINION: Ghana, we're our own enemies

We have a problem! Well, fellow Ghanaians, we have a problem. We have a problem with the body politic of Ghana; we have a problem with the moral fiber of our society. We have a problem with leadership, and management of our country. We have a governance problem and a moral decadence to deal with.

In major public fora, international conferences, symposia, and also throughout my writings I have identified corruption, mismanagement and bad governance as major problems inhibiting African development. In most cases, I have had many who agreed with my assessment of the situation in Africa but in some cases there have been some disagreements, with some saying corruption is everywhere including even in the developed countries. Let me say that corruption in all its forms is bad. However, the corruption that is sometimes found in developed countries is qualitatively different from what pertains in the Third World particularly in Africa.

In the developed world hardly do you see politicians dipping their hands into state coffers and embezzling state funds or hardly do you see funds earmarked for state projects and national development finding its way into private bank accounts and the projects abandoned. What happens, sometimes is that a contract may be awarded to a company or a contractor with the “right” connections political or whatever but the contract gets awarded and the money is used for the purpose for which it was intended and the public benefits.

Contrast that to the African situation, in most cases the contract is not awarded at all, or if it is awarded at all the project never gets done, no jobs are created, the public never benefits from it, but the money finds its way into private pockets and the state is the loser. We cannot move forward in such a situation. This has confined millions of Africans into poverty and underdevelopment and unless we address these issues no amount of foreign aid or Marshall plan can help lift Africa. We need to come to the fundamental realization that development begins with the basics of good governance, discipline, checks and appropriate punishment for nation wreckers.

Now the recent Anas Aremeyaw Anas expose about the rot in CEPS, GPHA at the Tema Harbour makes me sick. But frankly who in Ghana didn’t know all that goes on at Tema Harbour? You only need to clear goods once from the harbour to see all the bribery and corruption that goes on there. Going to Tema Harbour to do business to me is like a living hell. It is one place I hate most in Ghana. The frustrations, fruitless waiting one goes through if you insist on doing it the right way without paying bribe and demanding receipts for all payments made. I bet similar situations pertain at Aflao border and all other places where CEPS personnel operate.

Sermonizing

The President quickly went to the harbour to sermonize about the harm CEPS is doing to the economy but in reality and in all fairness can Atta Mills say that until Anas Aremeyaw’s video hit the airwave he didn’t know of the harm CEPS, IRS and other revenue collectors for the state were doing to the economy? Come again President Mills, you were IRS commissioner and corruption was rife then as it is now. If the President claims he wasn’t aware then he is not on top of his game.

We can collect all the money we need to develop the nation right here at home instead of going begging from the World Bank, IMF and other developed nations. All we need to do is to plug the loopholes in the system. Too many leakages in our revenue pot......so many people are suffering while a very few are diverting all the national resources that should have gone to make life a little comfortable for the overwhelming majority into their pockets. As much as about 50% of revenues due to the state end in private pockets while school children continue to study under trees, and babies die of malaria etc, etc.

The tax rate in Ghana is very high for such a poor country but the revenue returns to the state is just too low. Why? Anas has given us the answer. Our revenue collection as stated by the World Bank country director forms just 15% of our GDP which is below the African average of 18%. Ghana can and should do far better than the African average!!! We need discipline and strict monitoring of the system to stop the leakages else the better Ghana agenda will remain a mirage.

All the evidence we need to prosecute and ensure the payment and refund of monies due the state are there. The Finance Minister said the government is negotiating with those who evaded import duties and tax to pay the money back which isn’t bad but you don't negotiate with a thief, you prosecute him, punish him, and force him to pay penalties so it will act as a deterrent to others. All those officials found to have abused their office for private gains should be dismissed and prosecuted. It is rather unfortunate that the country’s judiciary instead of being part of the solution to this massive canker of nation wrecking corruption has rather become part of the problem. Anas Aremeyaw risks his life and that of his team daily to awake us to this rot only for the judiciary to set the culprits free. THIS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.

These abuses could have come up long time if the system was policed. Aren't there any checks in place like periodically inspecting and checking the electronic system? Who checks the GCNet? I am afraid without any checks on those who operate the system and those who are suppose to police it, we will continue to toil in vain as a nation and our people will continue to wallow in poverty. It seems that ANAS AREMEYAW is more efficient than the government of Ghana with all of its law enforcement agencies.

Now I know why my secondary school buddy who dropped out and became a CEPS officer has put up several storey buildings and owns fleets of brand new cars. He is an enemy of the state. The state must deal ruthlessly with all of them for raping the economy of Ghana and milking the country dry. The single most serious problem inhibiting our growth is CORRUPTION within and without of government.

Source: www.africanews.com

<back