Renowned Muslim cleric, Sheikh Aremeyaw Shaibu has described the spate at which corruption is on the ascendancy in Ghana as endemic.
Speaking to Host of the Morning Xpress on Radio XYZ 93.1, Neil Armstrong-Mortagbe on Wednesday, the preacher observed that corruption in Ghana has reached a level where people see it as being normal.
Linking corruption to selfishness and greed on the part of citizens, Sheikh Shaibu bemoaned how the personal interests of many, including Government officials and Politicians has led to untold hardships being inflicted on many in the country.
“Our society is hurting; our society is bleeding. We are hurting ourselves and that’s where the corruption is leading us to,” he said, as he indicated that the canker is weakening the economy.
To him, the love for one’s country has been lost on many citizens and, therefore, engaging in bribery and corruption is not seen as a crime.
“…This is something that has become culturally acceptable but it’s something that is eating us,” he said.
“Ghana is called a religious country,” he said, making reference to the teachings people acquire from Churches and Mosques on values and morals; and yet, corruption keeps thriving in Ghana.
In his suggestion to curb the menace, Sheikh Shaibu said the country will require the collective efforts of teachers, parents and all citizens to help reduce corruption in the country.
“We need a national re-orientation…..we must agree that we have lost touch with our own values…….where we all become each others’ keeper as citizens. We also need certain institutional reforms that resonate with our spirits,” he proffered.
To this end, He urged Government to help with the institutional reforms to help drive the agenda to effectively tackle corruption.
Sheikh Aremeyaw Shaibu’s comments follows a public uproar that greeted the screening of an investigative piece by undercover journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas that captured over 70 Ghanaian referees and football administrators taking cash to fix games in the country.
The latest undercover piece dubbed #Number12 which was showed on Wednesday June 6 2018 captured former GFA president Kwesi Nyantakyi on camera collecting $65,000 from supposed investors to influence the president, Nana Akufo-Addo and his vice, Dr Bawumia to get them contracts.
The tongue-wagging undercover has resulted in the dissolution of the mother football body in the country, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) pending restructuring.
