The Minority Leader, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, has stressed the need for the fight against corruption to move from mere discussions to collective actions.
Speaking at the 5th Annual Constitution Day Public Lecture on Friday, February 28, 2025, he pointed out the systemic and cultural factors that make political leaders in the country vulnerable to corruption.
“The demands of the office may cause a politician to find ways to survive or seek resources to meet certain expectations. As part of our culture, don’t we make ourselves vulnerable by what we say?
“Our cultural lifestyle and how we relate to ourselves make the leader very vulnerable. In trying to meet expectations, if you don’t have the resources, you may end up acting wrongly,” he stated.
The Member of Parliament of Effutu emphasized the need for civil society to play an active role in holding the political class accountable.
“I encourage discussions by civil society aimed at cracking the whip on the political class. I am one politician who believes that if you leave us loose with power, we may leave the room with empty coffers”, he indicated.
He pointed out that corruption is not limited to politicians, but extends to businesses and civil society organizations, which sometimes prioritize their interests over the broader fight against corruption.
“Many civil society organizations have their own interests. You may have a source of funding that is involved in a problem somewhere. When that same source calls on you to intervene, do you refuse because it has sustained you all these years? Sometimes, the issue is more about people’s interests than fighting corruption itself”, he noted.
Calling for a collective effort, he stressed, “It is not enough to talk about corruption; we must adopt a collective approach in dealing with it. If we over-focus on politicians while leaving out other actors in the chain of corruption, tackling this canker will remain a big challenge for us as a country.”
He urged citizens to remain vigilant and persistent in the fight against corruption
“The laws are just not enough. It is our collective that will make the difference. As citizens, we must never give up, because giving up would mean leading us to a failed state.
“Let us continue to crack the whip. Let us continue to be hard on the political class but also on other actors in the corruption chain”, he added.
JKB/KA
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