Outgoing British High Commissioner to Ghana Jon Benjamin has highlighted corruption as one factor that has bedevilled development of the country.
He said the British government has “made and we will continue to make an issue of corruption”, insisting that they make “no apology for that”.
He emphasised that “corruption is a long and sophisticated word for which a much shorter and clearer word suffices, namely theft”.
The diplomat stated that “corruption so enriches the few and so impoverishes the many, and is therefore such a huge obstacle to Ghana fulfilling its true potential”.
He made these comments while delivering a speech at the Queen's birthday party in Accra on Thursday, June 1.
Mr Benjamin said those who steal state resources or abuse their positions of trust to enrich themselves, their families and their friends are effectively “robbing millions of their own Ghanaian compatriots of their best possible future”.
“When someone buys a luxury property here in Accra or overseas, it is perfectly legitimate to ask whether the money invested in this way was legitimately obtained. But it seems to me, after three years here, that everybody knows that these questionable practices are happening but few dare to talk about it openly,” he said.
“So, we end up in a scenario, like in that fairy tale about the emperor’s clothing, where it is simply taboo to talk openly about what is staring us right in the face, and a kind of hypocrisy risks becoming hardwired into the national discourse.
“There is, I submit however, a direct line to be drawn between, on the one hand a few people right here in Accra who own fleets of V8s - each one of those vehicles costing multiples of their official annual salary - and, on the other hand, the still far too many examples throughout Ghana where children are forced to go to school under a tree rather than in a classroom – a classroom, incidentally, that could cost much less than the value of just one of those V8s to build. That seems to me a particularly apt comparison today, the first of June, which is UN International Children’s Day.
“The moral of this story? It seems that for a few people, easy money is a better choice than hard work, and that self-interest hugely trumps the national interest,” he said.
Mr Benjamin commended President Nana Akufo-Addo on his determination “to address this scourge of corruption which has simply got worse in recent years and sometimes veered out of control, and your determination to punish – finally – its worst perpetrators with real sanctions”.
He assured the support of the British government if need be to collaborate with Ghana to curb corrupt practices.
“The UK stands ready and willing to help your efforts to combat corruption for the undoubted benefit of the whole of Ghana,” he added.
Source: classfmonline.com
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How do they determine who qualifies and who is disqualified, when it comes to visa processing we had reports of collecting several applications and yet only few really qualified applicants are granted under circumstances only the embassies benefits from ,so called intended migrants and are refused, some reasons are even not clear to applicants like no travel expirence . Is this not corruption? Poor people were migtated Into slavery:, any structural policy or trade agreements removes subsidy yet subsidy is given in his cntry for exports. These are incentive to export to our country killing local enterprises."Di wo for asem"
All those condemning Jon Benjamin for speaking the truth ought to be ashamed of themselves. This is a guy who is more concerned about your country than yourselves! a foreigner been more concerned about the welfare of Ghanaians than Ghanaians themselves! Is that not shameful? He has nothing to gain as his tenure of office ends and he leaves to his country. There is enough money to cater for every Ghanaian in this country but that money has been stolen by just a few Ghanaians for themselves friends and families. We need to take a collective stand against corruption because it is killing us!
Bronyi p33t3. White vulture, u may not be corrupt just because USA has built strong systems n institutions if not that u would have been more corrupt than most of these ***barred word*** ***barred word***
John Dramani Mahama and his NDC appointees are really a disgrace to Ghana. The Man who is their leader is soo corrupt. NDC under John Mahama was the worst ever govt in the history of Ghana. They are ***barred word***....very soon they will all be jailed one one. thiiieves. because of your ***barred word*** majority of the youth are unemployed. thievesssss
Thank you very much it really broke my heart your comment. God bless you and my prayer is that God gives His Excellency the strength and prowess it takes to deal with this canker and it's perpetuaters
I think the system of Education in Ghana and our homes must be totally changed. People are trained to be timid instead of bold and confidence to speak the truth and that has translated into our culture. I totally agree with Jon Benjamin because these V8's cost a lot and these greedy politicians buy them out of corruption to satisfy their insatiable desires. The laws of Ghana are not working because the politican who are corrupt are so-called 'lawyers' and they twist and turn the laws to suit them.
Greedy John Dramani Mahama and his appointees went home with huge ex-gratia payments and over 200 state cars at give away prices in the name of end of service benefits .. Check the salaries they were on...... This is ridiculous. A lot of the beneficiaries are currently sitting in parliament waiting for another ex-gratia in 4 years. We must not allow this in the future and Mahama appointees must all return the cars. It is this same NDC govt that cancelled end of service benefit for civil servants. Why give it to politicians?
I want to hear more of these intelligent observations and from foreign nationals. A lot of Ghanaians are in pains because of corruption. we can't be heard publicly because we don't have the platform. journalists pick and choose to discuss, condemn and defend corrupt politicians. they come to government to enrich themselves and their families. they steal our moneys through making laws to pay themselves higher salaries and allowances. Mr.Jon, u're right! thank you very much!!!
This goes to the corrupt and greedy John Mahama and his NDC appointees.....
i do really like this guy because he speaks the truth. I hope akuffo addo keeps to his word and do the right thing. victor smith said he cried when he saw akuffo addo and rawlings together. it shows the sort of person he is. if atta mills had listened to rawlings and pursued the agenda akuffo addo is seeking to pursue, it would have been a deterrent to members of his administration . we would have been nearly ten years into the anti corruption agenda.