Former Auditor General Daniel Domelevo, has highlighted the immeasurable impact of corruption on Ghana’s socio-economic progress over the years.
He suggests commercialising and decentralising the anti-corruption efforts to encompass a broader range of corruption-related crimes and involve more stakeholders, thereby enhancing effectiveness.
“This would be a more sustainable way to fight these crimes across the country,” he said.
Domelevo was speaking via Zoom on the theme: Ghana’s 67th “In-Dependence Anniversary: Rescue or Disaster” Anti-Corruption Event, in Accra.
Crusaders Against Corruption (CACG) organised the event in collaboration with African Business Communication (ABC), TV XYZ, Ghana Good Governance Group (GGGG), and Spio-Garbrah Foundation (S-GF).
The discussions aimed to find more effective ways to combat corruption and foster good governance.
Domelevo stated: “We cannot develop when corruption is taking over and consuming all the resources of the country.”
The former Auditor General emphasised that Ghana’s status as a developing country 67 years post-independence was a result of factors like the absence of a clear economic transformation vision, ineffective leadership, and wasteful use of national resources.
He stressed the urgent need for national development to enhance the well-being of citizens and society, urging public officials to champion positive change by rejecting corruption and unpatriotic behaviours in favour of upholding the rule of law.
Furthermore, he urged the government to explore alternative methods of utilising the country’s abundant natural resources for development, rather than solely relying on taxation, which burdens the populace.
Bishop Dr. Samuel Mensah, a board member of (CACG), echoed these sentiments, attributing Ghana’s challenges more to a lack of critical thinking among leaders than to spiritual issues.
He highlighted the absence of a concrete long-term national vision and the lack of clear direction from political leaders as significant obstacles to progress.
To overcome these hurdles, he emphasized the necessity of implementing a comprehensive, non-partisan long-term vision for the nation’s development, similar to the approach taken by Ghana’s counterparts at independence.
Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, founder of the Spio-Garbrah Foundation, framed the discussion around whether Ghana had achieved true independence or remained dependent post-1957 on political independence.