By Laudia Sawer
New-Dawhenya (GAR), March 24, GNA - The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has urged Christians to lead the fight against corruption by resolving not to engage in it no matter the circumstances they found themselves in.
Madam Gifty Agyeiwaa Badu, Ningo-Prampram District Director of the NCCE, encouraging Christians to be incorruptible, said their good examples could trickle down to other citizens at their work place, school, homes and other places.
Madam Badu was speaking on Sunday at the Mount Sinai Methodist Church at New-Dawhenya as part of her office’s sensitization engagements of the citizenry under its Accountability, Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme (ARAP).
The programme, which is a joint initiative between the Government of Ghana (GOG) and the European Union (EU), integrates the National Anti-Corruption Action Plan (NACAP) and is aimed at promoting good governance in Ghana by reducing corruption and improving accountability and compliance with the rule of law.
Educating the congregation on the ARAP’s theme, “Citizen for Transparency and Accountability,” she said every Ghanaian’s little contribution was needed to attain a corruption free nation.
Madam Badu mentioned that acts such as tipping a health worker to be attended to before others, forcing to get admission for children who did not get the pass mark, employing people based on relations and friendship and acquiring driver’s license illegally, were some of the corrupt practices citizens engaged in.
She further stated that embezzlement of state funds meant for the development of education, good road, among other social amenities, contributed significantly to the poor educational system, inefficient health provision, bad roads causing accidents and subsequent loss of lives among others even though the 1992 Constitutions enshrined human rights including right to quality health, education and life.
Members of the church in an open forum, asked the NCCE to collaborate with other state agencies especially the Ghana Education Service to include civic education, especially issues of corruption and integrity into the school curriculum for students to inculcate such good habits before growing to hold positions in institutions.
Some also pointed out that corruption had its root cause in the Ghanaian homes and society as relatives and friends put undue pressure on people to provide things they could not afford or offer favours to them even if it went against the country’s laws.
They reiterated the need for politicians to stop infiltrating institutions especially the Ghana Police Service and other state security agencies with their political party biased members as that turned to weaken the institution and increase corrupt activities among workers.
The church members also agreed that parents must lead exemplary incorruptible lives by insisting on doing the right things such as rewriting of exams instead of paying for the children to be admitted at all cost.
Reverend Joseph K. Yeboah, Circuit Minister, Mt. Sinai Methodist, preaching on the topic, “Listen to the Lord and live”, charged Christians to listen and obey the true teachings of Christ.
Rev Yeboah added that it would be useless if Christians engaged in immoral and unacceptable activities while they were in the lent period saying “you are then on hunger strike rather than fasting”
GNA
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