A number of eminent Ghanaians gathered Wednesday to discuss one numbing problems in the country - corruption.

Follow the presentations by renowned lawyer, Ace Ankomah, investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, respected religious teacher, Pastor Mensa Otabil and gender advocate Dr Esi Ansah in the live updates here.

Ace Ankomah begins discussions with a talk entitled "Ghana's legal 'fight' against corruption: The deliberate self-immolation of a wet paper tiger".

He likens the fight against corruption in Ghana to a journey from Accra to Takoradi, where a cruise along the road is often met with oncoming drivers signaling with lights and intelligible hand signals; warnings that police officials are waiting further down to shake individuals of their "mauve notes".

Bemoaning the corruption on the roads perpetrated by local police, he says "The system has set you up to be corrupt". Unlike other countries where you'd get a ticket and go to court, in Ghana one mauve note (20 cedis) would set you free.

After giving more instances of blatant corruption, Ace Ankomah asks "is it smart to be corrupt?"

"I call this a paper tiger because the term refers to something that looks threatening but is actually ineffective."

The fight against corruption is a sham, a farce...Ghana government routinely pulls pranks and has a good laugh at the expense of the citizenry.

Ghana has all the laws to fight corruption but there is lack of political will, he said.

"Obama says Ghana does not need strong men, it needs strong institutions. I disagree."

Auditor-General for instance has all the powers to surcharge people corruption and malfeasance but he is always urging and recommending sanctions.

This must stop.

 

Dr Esi Ansah is next on the podium.

She is worried about the new bread of businessman who buys people from both sides of the political divide and the media.

Their corrupt deals do not get investigated or reported.

She insists that we need to start naming and shaming people. It's not only individuals who need to report or complain about acts of corruption.

"If we sit and watch artisans create but then see contracts sent outside. Whether it's the printing of text books for our secondary schools etc, you can't have professional associations keep silent".

She suggests that people fail to report corruption because they fear victimisation and that it is time we start leveraging the powers that we have and informing ourselves so we know the tools available to use for us to fight.

"At the end of the day, our silence means that we are robbed of opportunities", she says, and "We need to get to a point where corruption is not a political issue. This is not about any political party. "

Put Ghana first. Put parties, tribes aside but you will be labelled because some people have seared their consciences!

"Speak Up!" This is about taking up the right thing that we need to do. For anyone who would like to ridicule Occupy Ghana and any movements such as these. "this is better than silence"

 

Corruption isn't such a new thing: Corruption started long ago!

Manasseh Azure Awuni says Corruption is not such a new thing.

"Corruption is as old as Adam and has always been with us. The reason it seems larger than it is, is on account of our failure to deal with it."

He calls for Ghanaians to "Be frank and call corruption by its real name;  stealing or robbery".

It is not only perpetrated by politicians. Manasseh recounts the tale of an Emergency worker demanding bribe before releasing stretcher to carry patient who was in a coma.

Mannaseh decries the unwillingness of individuals to report corrupt persons to authority or to journalists. He says People will not volunteer information unless they meet the short end of the stick.

"We wait till we are cheated by our friends who are corrupt before we report but that is not enough."

Manasseh declares what a major flaw is the assumption that only politicians are corrupt.

He says that politicians can only steal when they are in power but civil servants cause more damage. He isnists that public officials have been looting the public purse for years and have longer access to the public purse.

To the media, Manasseh demands, "We must cease to seem like programmed robots, only reporting from conferences... Let's dignify ourselves by upholding the dignity of our profession."

 

 

"This is why leadership is not by force", Pastor Mensa Otabil

Pastor Mensa Otabil says the problem with corruption in Ghana is not the people in Ghana. "Citizens of every country on this planet have the propensity to be corrupt".

The only difference between Ghana and the US and other countries is that the law works there and does not work here.

"Until the law bites, corruption will never be eradicated".

Pastor Otabil had a message for the President.

He explains that unlike traditional chiefs who are caught, presidents have a choice whether or not to rule. They pay money to campaign for and win their positions....they have a choice and so despite the loneliness in such positions, it is important that they stand firm and perform the tasks they have been elected to do.

He insists that the President and others in leadership positions would receive support from the Nation if they would turn a blind eye to party colours in the fight against corruption. Dr. Otabil advised leaders to begin cleaning within their own houses instead of focusing on what's going on in other political parties.

"You don't start fighting corruption by attacking your enemies. You start by cleaning your own house. And when you clean your house, we will stand behind you".