Akufo-Addo Inherited National Corruption At Its Worst – Rawlings
Former President Jerry John Rawlings says until Ghanaians assume the
right, duty and responsibility to assist in confronting the fight
against corruption, government would have a hard time doing it alone.
He said the corruption he faced when he first came to power in 1979 was not as bad as what is being confronted today.
Flt Lt Rawlings stated that, “the current government owes its own
survival to the anti-corruption crusade,” explaining that some
administrations who found the integrity level of the AFRC/PNDC too high
and intimidating made it a point to corrupt some of our national
institutions in order to survive.
The former President who spoke during a meeting with a delegation of
political leaders from Sierra Leone led by former Vice-President Chief
Sam-Sumana on Sunday, said each administration’s refusal to contain and
punish corruption, invariably provided the climate and opportunity for
the problem to eat deeper into the fabric of the nation to the extent
that one could only succeed by doing things the wrong way.
“By the time this administration came into office the country was
literally drowning in the practice of corruption with impunity. This
administration has therefore inherited national corruption at its
worst,” Mr. Rawlings stated.
Former President Rawlings told his guests that the revolution brought
the best out of the people. He recalled several efforts supported by
Western powers to derail the process, including the deportation of one
million Ghanaians from Nigeria under Shehu Shagari’s administration.
The expectation was that the revolution would have to be collapsed in
order for Shagari to survive.
Unfortunately, the revolution survived
and Shagari had to go, unseated by General Buhari who seemed slightly
out of touch with the prevailing political climate and subsequently had
to be unseated by General Babangida. We survived because the people felt
they owned the process,” former President Rawlings said.
Chief Sam-Sumana who was dismissed under controversial circumstances
in 2015 informed the former President that his delegation comprised
leaders drawn from several political groups in Sierra Leone and the
diaspora who had decided to come together as a coalition to contest the
next election.
The former Vice-President said the group recognized President
Rawlings’ ideals and desire to see a better Africa, describing him as a
man who served as the foundation for the renewed development of Ghana
after the demise of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.
“We look up to you as a role model because of the peace and stability
you brought not only to Ghana but to Sierra Leone and Liberia during
your tenure as Head of State,” Chief Sam-Sumana said.
Source: myjoyonline.com
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