Journalists’ Low Wages Leading To Corruption –VODEC Laments

Corruption hurts the poor by moving the country backwards, undermining the marginalize ability to provide basic services, feeding inequality and injustice. Journalists are not even bold to say that they are suffering.

Ninety five percent 95% of Journalists in Ghana are not been paid, not even allowances to talk of salary. They survive when being assign to cover a programme, journalism is a thankless job in Ghana.

As leaders don't even respect them to be part of the arms of government.

We are focusing too much attention on politics. Sports and entertainment programmes have also being taken over by politician. Some journalist can be blame for the backwardness of Ghana today; they are not regarded to be voice for the voiceless.

Issues bothering Ghanaians are many, such as the rural economy, agriculture, our industry, science and technology, mineral and natural resources, our dying tourist sites, our energy system, labor and unemployment where we should recognize the primacy of labor and consider it as prime mover of growth and development, rural development, health, education, housing, environment, transport and communication, youth, sports and culture. We should recognize the special status of women arising out of years of discrimination.

The economic effects of corruption can be categorized as minor and major. However, both in one way or the other have serious impact on the individual community and country. In our society, the impact of corruption is often manifested through political intolerance, problems of accountability and transparency to the public, low level of democratic culture, principles of consultation and participation dialogue among others.

Voice Of Developing Communities (VODEC), wants to appeal to Government to help set up a fund to support Journalists who have passion to the forward movement of journalism in Ghana. Journalists who are not being paid from both public and private media houses to enable them report issues that are of interest to the ordinary Ghanaian.

Corruption undermines democracy and the rule of law, leading to violation of human right and allows organized crimes and other threats to human security to flourish

The effect of corruption has many dimensions; corruption impedes democracy and the rule of law. In a democratic system, public institutions and offices may lose their legitimacy when they misuse their power for private interest, worsening poverty, marginalizing the poor and creating public unrest.

Imbalanced economic development, weakling work ethics and professionalism, hindrance of the development of fair in market structures and unhealthy competition there by deterring competition.

Large scale corruption hurts the economy and impoverishes entire population and discourages people to work together for the common good. Frustration and general apathy among the public result in a weak civil society. Demanding and paying bribes becomes the tradition. It also results in social inequality and widened gap between the rich and poor, civil strife, increased poverty and lack of basic needs like food, water and drugs, jealousy and hatred and insecurity.

We should measure our progress by the improvement in the health of our people, by the number of children in school, and by the quality of their education, by the availability of water and electricity in our villages, the welfare of our people should be our chief pride and it is by this that Ghana will be judged.

SIGNED
Abroni Thomas
Executive Director
+233547000337