‘Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.’ ”• Ralph Waldo Emerson

Integrity means steadfast adherence to strict moral or ethical code, being sound, whole and completeness. This has been swept under the carpet in our society. We now live in a society where people have compromised their personal ethics and principles all because they want they want to be accepted by all. 

Indeed, if you are a man or woman with integrity, you will face constructive criticism. People in government, politicians, public officials, civil servants, students and even clergy have thrown the virtue of integrity into the gutters. Whenever we mention corrupt organizations and institutions, fingers are pointed at political parties, judiciary, police service among others but it might interest you to know that issues of corruption and bad practices start from schools.

Student leaders from basically tertiary institutions engage in political corruption. This does not only include rigging elections but putting their personal interests first and the interests of students second. They only appoint their compatriots to be heads and members of standing committees leaving competent students out. They inflate figures of projects and programs embarked on just to fatten their accounts.

The question I ask myself every day is, if students who have no families to carter for engage in such practices, what will happen if they become public officials in the near future? Integrity once again trampled upon.

The popular GYEEDA report in Ghana clearly shows how some public officials and civil servants endorse and sign for monies not worked for to be given to individuals and organizations.

How can we do this to ourselves and our great nation Ghana? Ghana after fifty six years of independence is where it is because we don’t have respect for integrity. It is about time we stand up as a people to demand proper accountability from our leaders and this message of integrity must be preached in the family, in churches, in mosques, in schools among others.

An interesting occurrence that is happening is that, we find ourselves sitting on pews in churches and kneeling in mosques with those who amass wealth through dubious means and they offer huge sums of money to support projects. What is just happening in our society?

Let me just offer solutions to what is happening in our society. Parents must teach children the importance of living a life of integrity and they must live exemplary lifes for their wards to copy. Again, school authorities must make it a priority to teach pupils and students the essence of integrity in any society. Authorities must also probe accounts of JCR and SRC and sanction students who are found culpable of corruption and bad practices.

Consequently, Pastors and Imams must use theirs pulpits to preach the integrity message and be prepared to counsel and kick away so called religious people who are corrupt. I always say, religion is like a navel, everybody has one but once you try to pull somebody’s own, he or she will retaliate.

People have respect for religious leaders and so they must use their platform to help eradicate corruption in our country. It is said, we need strong institutions which is very true but we must note that, people do run institutions and if they don’t have integrity, how can they stand strong in their convictions to affect the institutions they work for. 

Fifty six years down the line, we must change the way we treat our nation Ghana. This generation must stand up for change. Integrity is the key to transform our nation to where we want it to be. Long Live Ghana.