The Minister for Railways Development, Mr Joe Ghartey has called on Christians to stand against corruption and join the fight against the menace in the Ghanaian society.
He made the comments at the 3rd Koomson/Ackah/Enchia Memorial Lectures of the Association of Methodist Men’s Fellowship held at the Wesley Methodist Cathedral in Sekondi in the Western region.
The theme for the memorial lectures was “Eliminating Corruption in the Ghanaian Society through effective Christian Stewardship” and was organized by the Methodist Church Ghana Association of Methodist Men’s Fellowship.
Mr. Ghartey said the political elite has failed to live up to expectation as expected by the citizens and this was the original sin of many Ghanaians as far as corruption was concerned.
He noted that though the Ghanaian society has been trying to eliminate corruption since we gained independence from our colonial masters, the issue has not been an easy one and people of upright standing have even found it a problem to solve.
Mr Ghartey who is also the Member of Parliament for the Essikado/Ketan Constituency told the fellowship to be very careful never to condone corrupt practices as Christians because many people looked up to Christians to be role models in all societies.
The Lawmaker said since 1992, the constitution of Ghana has always sought to do away with the issues of corruption but it has never been an easy task.
He said it would be a conflict of interest if he (Joe Ghartey) gave a contract to his friend or brother adding “if I do so which is in rare occasions I must come out clearly with reasons why my brother or friend was awarded the contract.”
Mr Ghartey was emphatic that many Christians were corrupt and these were the people who were to fight corrupt practices in the society. He made reference to Jesus in the Bible telling the tax collectors to collect the correct levy and soldiers must not intimidate the civilians because all these practices were corrupt.
He mentioned that many young people employed to work did little work but complained of low salaries.
“How do you expect to be paid fat salaries when your output was very low,” he asked.
The Railways Development Minister said teachers who spent their time on the farms and little time in the classrooms were all corrupt teachers because the tuition time was supposed to be used in the classrooms and not on the field doing your own business.
He said many people supported corruption because it has been identified as a means of gaining more illegally than what you could genuinely acquire which was destroying the public purse and retarding the progress of the nation.
He asked why a parent should go and see a head of an institution to admit a child if the child’s performance was very bad adding “this is the beginning of the corrupt practices.”
He said the Bible was full of questions on corrupt practices and Christians must be the first to know and avoid the canker in society.
The chairman for the occasion, Past Lay President and Past Connexional Chairman, James A Ababio-Brew said the elimination of corruption in the Ghanaian society must start with Christians.
According to him, Christians must show good leadership qualities without corrupt practices.
Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/103.5FM
