Security Agents join in fight against corruption

Personnel from the Ghana Police Service, the Prisons Service, the Immigration Service and the Fire Service have joined civil society organizations in Sunyani to participate in a float through some principal streets of Sunyani to mark this year’s International Anti-Corruption Day.

The float was organized by the Sunyani Chapter of the Ghana Anti-Corruption Campaign Coalition in collaboration with the various security agencies to create more awareness on the adverse effects of corruption on national development and the need for everyone to join in the crusade against the canker.

The security men and all others who joined in the float later converged at the Regional Co-ordinating Council in Sunyani where they were addressed by various speakers. They carried placard; some of which read “Do not bribe the Police”, “Do not pay money for bail”, Corruption robs the future of your children” and “Be an anti-corruption citizen” among several others.

The Brong Ahafo Regional Police Commander, DCOP Kwame Tachie-Poku, in a speech read for him, noted that corruption “comes in different forms and it delays growth, development and denies the masses the opportunity to enjoying the nation’s resources that are meant to be enjoyed by all.”

“Money that is meant for development goes into individual pockets to the detriment of the masses. There is therefore the need for us to fight it with all the seriousness it deserves”, the Regional Police Commander said.

He said the Police, as the leading law enforcement agency had the greatest responsibility in fighting the canker.

“That is why it is prudent that we start fighting it within ourselves. Recently, a research conducted by the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition once again put the Police Service on top of the corruption index for the third consecutive times.”

According to DCOP Tachie-Poku, “Police corruption also comes in different forms, i.e., falsifying evidence, selective enforcement of the law, i.e. refusal to take action on criminal activities of people they have ever garnered previous favors from.”

“Extortion/bribery that is, demanding or receiving payment for criminal offence in order to envelop a crime or possible future crime, protection of illegal activities, altering of testimonies, destroying evidence are the most common corrupt practices amongst police officers”, the Regional Police Commander confirmed.

He added, however, that the Police Service was making frantic efforts to “clean its image and minimize the menace, if not to do away with it amongst its personnel.”

The CEO of Global Media Foundation and a member of the Ghana Anti-Corruption Campaign Coalition, Raphael Ahenu, called for a collective approach in effectively dealing with corruption in society.

He said over One trillion dollars were lost annually worldwide through various acts of corruption as monies meant for development programmes find their way in the pockets of some individuals while the rest of the society suffers.

“The Government of Ghana needs money to fund free SHS, provide health facilities, construct roads and execute all the much-needed programmes and projects. But we cannot always depend on donors all the time for help. If we are able to stop all the corrupt practices, we would be able to fund most of these projects ourselves”, Mr. Ahenu said.

Richard Kofi Boahen, Sunyani,