IEA Boss Asks: Why Is Fight Against Corruption Becoming Impossible To Win?

Executive Director of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), Mrs. Jean Mensa has expressed worry about government's effortless to sanction public officials who are fingered in corrupt dealings.

According to her, the government lackadaisical approach to the fight against corruption has urged the corrupt public officials to adopt “let them say; after a week they will get tired” attitude as they continue to enjoy their booty without punishment.

Speaking at the IEA corruption conference at the Fiesta Royale Hotel in Accra on Tuesday, April 28, 2015, Mrs. Mensa says it is alarming the rate at which Ghanaians have tolerated the corrupt practices in the country.

In her welcome remarks on the theme “Purging the nation of corruption: demanding Accountability from Public Institutions”, Mrs. Mensa found it disturbing that several agencies established by law to fight corruption have failed dolefully.

"It is a well known fact that there is no shortage of institutions and laws to confront this canker. The courts, the police, the CHRAJ, the EOCO and the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament and the Auditor-General's office are but a few of the state agencies that have a corruption-fighting mandate."

“So then, one may ask how come the fight against corruption is becoming more and more tedious and almost impossible to win?..If effective measures are not put in place to check this menace now it will completely overwhelm us."

She said it is about time heads of institutions are held accountable for their stewardship. The conference among other things is to recommend possible ways of "strengthening anti-corruption institutions and to give them teeth."