AFRICANEWS

Ghana

Ghana cries foul over corruption tag

corruption

Ghana, much hailed in the Western world as one of the few African nations with genuine commitment to economic recovery, is no longer at ease. A recent report on corruption among selected 40 countries, listed the West African state as the sixth most corrupt in the world.

A recent report ranking Ghana as the sixth most corrupt country among a group of 40 selected emerging markets in the world, has drawn a lot of concern and embarrassment to the Ghanaian government.

The report, which was published by the Control Risk Group Limited, a UK-based business risk consultancy firm in November last year, has since been making the rounds in the UK media, particularly in The Guardian.

It has also been picked by the local media here which believe that the government has not done enough to curb an alleged high level of corruption among government officials and institutions.

Recently, some high-ranking government officials were investigated by the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, an in independent body established under the constitution. Though some adverse findings were made against some of them, the government has seemingly failed to deal with the affected officials. Instead, it sought to exonerate them from the wrongdoing.

The Control Risk report rated Russia as the world's number one corrupt country followed by Nigeria. Then came Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Ghana and Kazakhstan in that order. Bulgaria, Iran and Yugoslavia complete the list of the top-ten "hit parade."

The respondents of the survey were board directors in Britain, Germany, the Scandinavia and the US. The director of the Centre for Policy Analysis, an economic think-tank in Ghana, Dr J.S. Abbey, had cause to urge Ghanaian professionals during a recent address to be concerned about the tag and help bail the country out of its predicament.

But the Ghanaian government thinks the survey has not been fair to the country. It believes there is a mischief somewhere. It has therefore indicated that it would not rest until the publishers of the report appraise it on how they came up with their findings. "What the government is interested in is knowing, for example, who the respondents to the questionnaire of the survey were. If they have any business dealings with Ghana and what specific instances of corruption they have against any state institutions or any individuals for that matter,'' says John Mahama, deputy Communications Minister.

A letter has subsequently been sent to the publishers to help establish the basis of the report for remedial action to be taken. The government says a team is meanwhile standing by to proceed to London if necessary to hold discussions and collect the information if the publishers are unable to come to Ghana.

"The government is very concerned about the issue because it has taken a lot of efforts and sacrifices on the part of government and people of Ghana to build the present positive image of Ghana as a good place to do business and as a safe destination for foreign investors," says Mahama.

The concern, no doubt, is a genuine one. Indeed, the government has over the last five years embarked on an aggressive investment drive to help bail the country out of her dwindling economic fortunes. Official visits have been made to the Far East, the US and Europe in order to attract foreign participation in the country's economic resuscitation. Therefore, for such a report to come out at a time when Ghana seems to be having a positive response to its endeavours, is something which seems to beat the imagination of the government.

But, issues bordering on corrupt practices among Ghanaian partners in the swindling of their foreign counterparts, especially in the gold business, have always come up whenever the country's President, Jerry Rawlings, has gone on an investment drive overseas.

He has personally taken up the matter and has issued instructions to bring to book all those who, in one way or the other, have swindled businessmen in the gold business.

Mahama therefore believes that the activities of dubious gold syndicates and other individuals who have swindled foreigners of millions of dollars, might be a contributory factor to the negative image.

The government does not rule out political motives behind the publication of such a report as well. "It is common in this present period of keen global competition for subtle strategies such as this to be used to kill emerging economies such as Ghana's." Mahama declares. He is, however, dismayed that a section of the Ghanaian media has accepted the report without subjecting it to any critical analysis.

The independent media have lately come out with a number of allegations detailing high level corruption. In some instances, these allegations have not been proved.

As if to say he has accepted the challenge, President Rawlings, in a recent address, made it quite clear that the year 1998 would see him tackling corruption and indiscipline in the society.

He has warned that all corrupt elements would be swept under the carpet this year. But for the Ghanaian government, the urgent need to remove the tag of corruption, would remain the most uphill task it has ever faced. But Mahamais more resolute on it: "We don t deserve it," he says.

| CONTENTS | AFRICANEWS HOMEPAGE |

AFRICANEWS - Koinonia Media Centre, P.O. Box 8034, Nairobi, Kenya
tel.: +254.2.560385 - fax: +254.2.576175 - e-mail: [email protected]
AFRICANEWS on line is by Koinonia Media Centre