Ghanaians need to know: Who caused the humongous $1.7B(GH22b) financial loss to the state?

The ongoing public discourse on the humongous GH22billion Gold Purchase Programme losses, has unfortunately, turned into unsavoury tropes, gratuitous innuendoes, and crude caricature, needless to say, the truth cannot be unravelled through the cyclopean ego, irredeemable insolence and impishness, rather, we can only unearth the truth by resorting to civilised and sound intellectual discourse.

Ghana, to be quite honest, does not need men and women, who are illimitably immersed in a gamut of shenanigans, impudence, and irrevocable impishness to oversee important positions.

The fact, however, remains that Ghana has lost an unpronounceable GH22billion, that could have completed the all-important Accra to Kumasi road, a number of Agenda 111 hospitals would have benefited, and some unemployed Nurses and Teachers would have found themselves in the public service.

Given the circumstances, the good people of Ghana do not want to hear any unnecessary high sounding phrases from manipulating geezers, rather, Ghanaians need to know the people who have carelessly caused the huge financial loss to the state, and if possible, be brought to book.

Since regaining the independence from the British on 6^th March 1957, Ghana has, regrettably, been losing billions of cedis to some irresponsible and ravenous public servants through carelessness and dubious deals.

Regrettably, year after year, the Auditor General’s report would uncover some damning scandals such as the gargantuan GH22billion Gold Purchase Programme losses. Nevertheless, the successive governments more often than not would turn a blind eye to the unpardonable scandals and the suspects would get away with murder.

Ghana, in fact, is lagging behind mainly due to the persistent lack of care by the successive administrations since regaining the independence from the British on 6^th March 1957.

The disgustingly cyclical carelessness and corrupt practices amongst the political elites in Ghana, regrettably, have resulted in underdevelopment, excessive public spending, less efficient tax system , needless high public deficit and destabilization of national budgets, heightened capital flight and the creation of perverse incentives that stimulate income-seeking rather than productive activities.

Readers would bear with me that corruption is a serious economic, social, political and moral impediment to nation building and therefore it is expected that corrupt officials would be held accountable at all times without fear or favour.

Corruption, as a matter of fact and observation, is found in all countries—big and small, rich and poor—but it is in the developing world such as Ghana that its effects are most destructive.

Due to its corrosive effects, , countries like China, Indonesia, Thailand, Morocco, and Vietnam have imposed the death penalty on some acts of bribery and corruption which invariably damage the national economy.

Besides, there are schools of thought that believe that ‘capital punishment for corruption practices, money laundering and other kinds of economic crimes can serve as a deterrent and can have long-term benefits’.

My dear reader, in spite of the fact that corruption is a serious economic, social, political and moral impediment to the nation building, our corrupt officials are bent on siphoning our scarce resources to the detriment of the poor and disadvantaged Ghanaians.

I have always held an unadulterated view that a fantastically corrupt public servant is no less a human rights violator than the enigmatic Adolf Hitler.

This is because while the weirdo Adolf Hitler barbarically annihilated innocent people with lethal chemicals and sophisticated weapons, a contemporary corrupt public servant is gleefully bent on annihilating innocent citizens through wanton bribery and corruption.

Consequently, the innocent citizens would often end up facing economic hardships, starvation, depression, emotional labour and squalor which send them to their early graves. How sad?

Unfortunately, the unpatriotic and selfish attitudes of some men and women we often put in responsible positions have cost this nation dearly.

The ‘political criminals’ have the licence to steal. If that were not the case, how come the offending politicians and their minions often go scot free?

How on earth can individuals commit heinous crimes (gargantuan sleazes and corruption) against the state and get away with their misdeeds?

The crucial question every concerned Ghanaians should be asking is: will the day come when “Ghana’s political criminals” find they have nowhere to hide?

It appears that in Ghana, the justice system more often than not, descends heavily on the goat, cassava and plantain thieves, and let go the remorseless criminals who hide behind the narrow political colorations.

If the rampant bribery and corruption, dubious judgment debt payments, stashing of national funds by some greedy opportunists , misappropriation of resources and crude embezzlement of funds meant to provide developmental projects by some public officials do not warrant criminal charges, then where are we heading as a nation?

How serious are we as a nation when we can only descend heavily on the mobile phone, the goat, cassava and plantain thieves, and let go the hardened criminals who persistently dip their hands into the national coffers as if tomorrow will never come?

To me, Ghana’s 1992 Constitution has to be reviewed and the irrational and inexpedient clauses such as the indemnity clauses are expunged and tossed into the dust bin accordingly.

Ghanaians, in fact, are not distant apart in attitudes and behaviours from other human beings elsewhere, because we are all susceptible to human foibles.

But, what makes the people elsewhere much more responsible than a Ghanaian is the rigidity of their state institutions and the effective laws and regulations.

Take, for instance, elsewhere, the laws and regulations are strictly enforced, and as such the vast majority of the citizens and denizens prefer the observance to the stringent fines and the harsh punishments.

Let us face it, the vast majority of our politicians have no hearts. They are heartless. If that were not the case, how come they have wilfully dipped and continue to dip their hands into the national coffers to the detriment of the poor Ghanaians?

My dear reader, just take a look at our political landscape and you would agree with me that some of our politicians harbour vested interests and have no empathy whatsoever.

How can we make any meaningful advancement as a nation when the incompetent, careless, selfish, greedy, and corrupt politicians and other public servants continue to steal from the national purse as if there is no tomorrow?

Ghana, so to speak, needs patriotic and selfless men and women with the unparalleled wisdom of the Biblical Solomon and the enviable intelligence of the tiny ant to successfully steer the nation in the right direction.

May God bless our homeland Ghana!
K. Badu, UK.
k.badu2011@gmail.com

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