The National House of Chiefs (NHC) has attributed the numerous uncompleted projects, joblessness, broken homes, poverty, suffering and the general slow pace of development in Ghana to the failure of successive governments to fight grotesque corruption.
According to a statement signed by Togbe Afede XIV, President, and Daasebre Nana Kwebu Ewusi VII, Vice President, there had been countless number of corruption cases recorded in the past and present governments, and yet no government was able to gather the confidence to fight it.
The statement indicated that corruption had benefited a few individuals, but kept hurting the country in many ways; diversion of resources from urgently needed development projects; increased the government debt; caused leakages that create distortions and made management of the economy difficult; and undermined price and exchange rate stability.
It bemoaned that, after 62 years of nationhood, most Ghanaians were still muffled by poverty and could not access basic necessities of shelter, food, water, health, education, electricity, roads and good drainage, jobs and incomes, enhanced living standards, and ultimately, happiness.
The members of the NHC wept over the growing stories of people, young and old, taking their own lives due to their unbearable living conditions.
The House of Chiefs recalled the unfortunate murder of 44 Ghanaians in cold blood in The Gambia in 2005, who were only exercising their right to pursue happiness, which they could not find at home.
Ghana, they said was endowed with a lot of natural resources such as bauxite, diamonds, gold, iron ore, timber, cocoa, salt, oil and gas among many others coupled with the vibrant, energetic, educated and peace-loving human resource- and therefore did not have to be poor.
The statement encouraged the future leaders [youth] not to allow themselves to be used by self-seekers, as serial callers, let alone vigilantes, to attack the few people who dare to speak for them.
They charged the people of Ghana to begin to insist on their traditional and political leaders to use the resources of the state prudently for the sole benefit of the people and in pursuance of their development needs.
“Leadership is an opportunity to serve, not to exploit. We must hold our leaders to account. Enough of the politricks!”
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