Dishonesty in Ghana: Who is Responsible? Dr. Aduhene-Kwarteng Asks.

Ghana, the Black Star of Africa, and the Gateway to Africa, had a very excellent reputation among the world community a few years ago due to its residents' honesty, sincerity, friendliness, and discipline. These favorable plaudits have evaporated into thin air. The once-respected nation is now tagged as a country of dishonest people because citizens have abandoned moral values and are acting unethically, and dishonesty pervades Ghanaian society. Many well-meaning Ghanaians are asking who is to blame for this undesirable trait.

Many people blame politicians and traditional authorities, but genuinely, every Ghanaian has some guilt since parents pay bribes to get their children into schools. Students falsify their school fees to gain extra money from their parents to spend on frivolous items. When they complete school and are out of work, they look for any dishonest means to get money. Some schools charge students additional fees for assistance with their final examination test questions. At the same time, some professors and university lecturers require that female students sleep with them in exchange for passing scores or grades.

Employees who think they are underpaid steal from the firm or pad time sheets to supplement their pay. Some lawyers, judges, and politicians have a reputation for being dishonest, as do advertisers who will say anything to persuade people to spend their money. Nurses, court officials, judges, gas station attendants, land owners are all corrupt. Gari, groundnuts, and salt sellers load their measuring cans with cement or discarded newspaper so that buyers do not get their money's worth for their purchase. One local herb or medicine on sale can cure all ailments except death. The Ice water seller will sell pipe-born water to clients with the pretext that it is distilled. The fishmonger inserts a stone inside the smoked fish's mouth to make it seem larger and sell it to unsuspecting consumers.

Prying on the intelligence of others and worsening the image of the country, Cocoa purchase clerks purposefully manipulate their weighing scales to defraud cocoa farmers. Revenue collectors in the country's markets cheat their district assemblies by exchanging money for goods or lowering the permitted charge that merchants are meant to pay. Most tellers at the department and retail establishments display dishonesty by undercharging consumers for their change. They only give consumers some of their change, mainly if it is in pesewas. When a vehicle breaks down, auto technicians bill consumers for new replacement parts but use the old, malfunctioning component instead. Tollbooth collectors issue their own invoices for unsuspecting drivers. Before voting for candidates for the country's parliament, political party officials accept money from them. In truth, about 98% of Ghanaians are dishonest. Unfortunately, they constantly blame politicians and traditional rulers for the country's hardships and other problems.

Dishonesty's Adverse Effects on Ghana

Dishonesty, a perverse human trait that often shows as a desire to lie, cheat, trick, or mislead, has dire consequences for a nation and should not be tolerated. It raises societal costs in the country's economic and financial domains. It increases expenses in fighting online fraud, tax evasion, and corruption, among other things. Any dishonest action by people is detrimental to change and hurts the Ghanaian economy. Additionally, dishonesty interferes with the public's good judgment and choices, distorting the quality delivery of anticipated services and resulting in the failure of governance, policies, and programs that might otherwise have been beneficial to development. This societal blight has a detrimental impact on everything from a family's capacity to sending their kids to school to the reputation of sports. It is an opponent of development and the source of many of Mother Ghana's problems. It kills employment and stifles economic progress, keeps the weakest in abject poverty, and weakens our security by encouraging anti-social activities such as armed robbery, bribery and corruption, ritual killings, and prostitution, among others. Dishonest behaviors reduce government income and funding available for growth. This has a variety of effects on the economy. The deficit reduces savings that might have been earned and diverted into investments. In this regard, the government must borrow cash, which results in expenses for future generations. The government's incapacity to provide essential utilities directly impacts the level of life.

I want Ghanaians to recognize that dishonesty is a ubiquitous issue in our culture with profoundly harmful effects on development, democracy, and living standards. It raises transaction costs, decreases confidence, impedes the operation of the democratic system, and jeopardizes the country's security. This behavior has created a bad name for the country among the international community, and Ghanaians need to stop it.

Dr.Kwame Aduhene-Kwarteng (Castro).