Partner Us To Fight Corruption – Bawumia Courts Churches

VICE PRESIDENT Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has called on religious organisations in the country to partner the government in its quest to fight public corruption by playing a more active role in dealing with the canker.

Speaking at the ordination and consecration service of Very Reverend Dr. Kotei Neequaye as the new Suffragan Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Accra on Sunday, the Vice President underscored the need to step up the efforts to combat corruption and hold corrupt actors accountable.

He said the Anglican Church was noted for fighting all forms of corruption and therefore, urged the church to use its pulpit and other platforms to support the fight against the menace, while assisting the government to develop the country.

“The Anglican Church has always preached against corruption and I urge them to continue to help fight the canker,” Dr. Bawumia stressed and continued that countering corruption was also a biblical injunction which must be obeyed.

“I would like to quote two scriptures on this issue, and how it is very important to continue to do all that we can to minimise it,” he said and quoted Galatians 6:8 which  says “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”

Dr. Bawumia stated that “there is so much economics embedded in this scripture which is telling us not to invest in flesh through corruption. We know that the flesh will eventually rot when you die, so if you are an investor will you invest in something that will eventually rot?”

He again referenced Proverbs 29:4 and said the scripture was clear on bribery and corruption, reading, “A king gives stability to his nation, but one who demands bribes destroys it.”

The Vice President said the government’s policy programmes in dealing with corruption were in accord with the dictates of God’s command and the nation’s development, pointing out that the Akufo-Addo administration is using technology to eliminate corrupt activities from all government service deliveries and activities, while strengthening the multilateral anti-corruption architecture and institutions.

He stated that the digitisation of the ports, Ghana Card, Passports Office, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), collection of taxes by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), SSNIT, NHIS, Lands Commission and Ghana.Gov platform, among others, were evidence of the government’s commitment to the fight against corruption.

He asserted that these digitisation efforts had reduced, and in some cases eliminated, bribery and corruption in the provision of public services.

Dr. Bawumia said anti-corruption operations had been strengthened with proper allocations of resources to anti-graft institutions such as the Office of the Special Prosecutor, Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and the Economic and Organised Crimes Office (EOCO), among others.

He praised the Anglican Church for the role it has played in the development of Ghana, saying, “For more than a century, the Anglican Church has contributed significantly to improving the quality of education, alleviating poverty and shepherding leaders in our great nation Ghana.”

“The church has been father of the fatherless, mother of the motherless, parent to the orphan, wife to the widow and husband to the widower. The Government of Ghana is grateful and I take this opportunity to commend the Church for its contribution to our dear Nation, Ayekoo,” he noted.

Source: DailyGuide