Trends in inequality, ground for corruption – NPC
Dr Leticia Adelaide Appiah, Executive Director of the National Population Council (NPC) has called for stakeholder discussions to reverse the trends in inequality which creates a fertile ground for corruption in the country.
She added that the Nation needed to confront the negative aspects of patriarchy and reverse some values and policies which were no longer serving the citizenry but dividing the country.
Dr Appiah said this in a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency at a forum on the theme: “Combating the virus of Corruption in our Country – My Commitment as a Christian Professional”.
She noted that the main mission of Patriarchy was for men to protect, provide and defend with the aim to impart a sense of pride, which they were called to be, know and do.
“However, in my opinion, some aspects of our patriarchy create the condition for corruption and national insecurity,” she added.
Dr Appiah stated that certain aspects of patriarchy kept section of people in perpetual need and questioned why the society through its actions or inactions keep a cycle whose opportunity cost outweighs all the benefits if any.
She said the African tradition was good but if Africans allow their tradition to keep them poor and vulnerable to corruption, dealing with the menace may become more difficult.
She said the cost to individuals, the country’s security, democracy, the economy and Ghana’s competitiveness globally was huge.
Dr Appiah said a Political Leader had to shoulder other responsibilities such as Naming Ceremonies, Weddings Ceremonies, attending funerals among others with its accompanying expenditures on him and that people without much financial standing would not engaged in such acts.
She said many institutions such as the Audit Service, CHRAJ, the Courts and public lectures were doing a lot to stop the spread of the virus called corruption and that there was a missing link of the demography dictated by certain aspects of patriarchy.
“We need to embrace and promote innovation in public policy with a focus on better health and economic outcomes and measured by our own understanding of success,” she stated.
She said good policy making like good culture was balancing competing goods while respecting individual dignity and health.
She stressed that inequality and corruption were inevitable but policies, practices and behaviors should not widen inequality and deepen corruption more.
Source: GNA