Stephen Adei - Review Criminal Laws to Deal With Corruption

Professor Stephen Adei, a former Rector of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), has advocated urgent review of the country's criminal laws to make it easy to deal with the rising spate of corruption.

"There must also be an urgent need to restructure anti-corruption institutions to make them potent to deal effectively and efficiently with matters of corruption appropriately," he stressed.

Speaking at a public lecture organised by the Scripture Union (SU) in Kumasi, Prof Adei, pointed out that strict enforcement of laws and transparency in the prosecution process with appropriate punishment, would help deter people from engaging in corrupt practices.

The lecture which formed part of the 151st anniversary celebration of SU was under the theme: 'Effects of corruption on Ghana and required responses'.

Professor Adei explained that corruption which was systemic and somehow regularised, had been one of the major causes of poverty in many African countries including Ghana.

"However, laws and institutions set up to fight the menace have not been active enough to deal with the situation.

"Lack of financial support to those institutions and the mode of appointment of their leaders have lead to deepening corruption in the country.

"That should not be an excuse for the institutions to discharge their mandate to protect the country's purse.

"Anti-corruption institutions should not give excuses and use them as a defence in solving this deadly canker that has taken a toll on the economy.

"Reports that Ghana loses over three billion dollars of taxpayers' money every year, is proof of the country's economic instability, this can be averted if a radical approach is taken to fight the menace.

"There's the need to deal with the cultural acceptance of corruption at the grassroots through extensive public education and training, while working to amend the existing laws to make corruption a very high risk venture.

Rockson Antwi, Ashanti Regional Manager, SU, said education should be made a priority in the fight against corruption.

"People can effect changes if they stand and set good examples for others to follow, the fight against corruption required true and committed people with unquenchable faith in God," he noted. -GNA

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