Tema-Ghana, Aug. 25, – The state of party politics and governance structures in Ghana is horrifyingly monetized, which could result in state capture, Professor Roger Oppong Koranteng, Adviser and Head of Public Sector Governance, Commonwealth Secretariat, London, United Kingdom, has cautioned.
Prof. Koranteng asserted that people with money will have influence over the country’s leadership if nothing is done immediately, while classifying state capture as a criminal activity with tinted characters, such as drug dealers, who will be deciding the direction of the country.
He said that currently, someone lacking financial resources cannot enter politics; as a result, people who possess the necessary skills and qualifications for leadership will become obsolete.
Prof. Koranteng said this when he presented a paper on “Is the fight against corruption in the fourth republic a mirage or reality”.
Speaking on the topic “Expanding the Frontiers of Combating Corruption in Ghana: Policy and Strategic Option,” Prof. Koranteng emphasises that the requirement for payment in order to cast a ballot was spiralling out of control, making it easy for corrupt individuals to fund candidates for office so they can also get their way.
Giving a brief historical perspective, Prof. Koranteng explained that at the start of the Fourth Republic, voters did not expect money or gratuities, but unfortunately, when the stakes became higher between the leading political parties, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), money became the determinant of power.
According to him, because corruption has engulfed everyone, from the lowest levels of society to the highest levels, a comprehensive overhaul of the senior public service won’t result in any positive changes.
Prof. Koranteng also described bad attitudes towards work by some public and civil servants as a major economic challenge confronting developing countries.
He noted that the attitudes of some workers from Africa and other developing countries towards work and business hinder economic growth and called on factors of labour to address these issues.
He said those bad deeds have collapsed and destroyed many private and public organisations, adding that most business owners in Ghana complained about the low quality of work done, laziness, lying, stealing, and corruption amongst the work force.
He noted again that these unprofessional behaviours have undermined social and developmental progress in our society, spread through the entire economy, substantially affected the economic growth of the country, and increased unemployment and household income.
Prof. Koranteng also stated that the public sector makes no difference when it comes to work ethics, noting that some workers lie, steal, absent themselves without permission, have low work performance, and top this all off with corruption.
He said that with such a mentality and attitude towards businesses and the working environment, developing the country will be a difficult task for this and future generations.
He also added that calculating what the business community is losing in its attempt to protect their businesses against theft, mismanagement, and corruption doubled the country’s labour costs.
He again stated that this behaviour is having a negative impact on attracting investment and doing business in the country.
He therefore urged all Ghanaians to build a positive attitude towards work and again urged the youth, especially, to work hard like the rest of the competitive world.
