corruption
CORRUPTION
Anytime corruption is mentioned in Ghana, politicians and especially government ministers become the easy targets. Why not them? Because the impression has been created that it is only when you are a minister or a politician that you can make ill-gotten wealth or be corrupted.
As a result, many low level officials in governmental institutions and agencies who daily rob citizens of Ghana for services rendered are left off the hook. Just imagine this. A friend of mine who lives in Belgium wanted a building permit from the Accra Metropolitan Office (AMA) at Adenta in Accra, and asked me to do the leg work for her.I went to the AMA office at Adenta one morning and was told to wait and meet the overall boss in charge of building permits. After waiting till 9:30 am this man came and gracefully walked into his office. Fifteen minutes later I was ushered into his office and I told him my mission.This building permit guy without even inquiring who I was or where I was coming from or who may have sent me asked me if I want an expedited building permit. I then asked him to explain himself further, whereupon he told me that if I want the permit within two days I have to pay 2,000 Ghana Cedis.He also told me that if I want it between three to four days I have to pay 1,500 Ghana Cedis but if I want it seven days it will cost me 1,200 Ghana Cedis. Please don’t joke with this because it is a real story and I know the name of the official concerned.I then asked the AMA official if the levies he has mentioned were official levies and whether he was going to issue a receipt if I make the payment. The attitude of this man suddenly changed and he told me in the face that if I was not ready I should not subject him to any inquisition because he has other people waiting to see him. I left the AMA office very disappointed and wondered if what I heard was a Rambo movie I was watching.As I was going towards my parked car
Anytime corruption is mentioned in Ghana, politicians and especially government ministers become the easy targets. Why not them? Because the impression has been created that it is only when you are a minister or a politician that you can make ill-gotten wealth or be corrupted.
As a result, many low level officials in governmental institutions and agencies who daily rob citizens of Ghana for services rendered are left off the hook. Just imagine this. A friend of mine who lives in Belgium wanted a building permit from the Accra Metropolitan Office (AMA) at Adenta in Accra, and asked me to do the leg work for her.I went to the AMA office at Adenta one morning and was told to wait and meet the overall boss in charge of building permits. After waiting till 9:30 am this man came and gracefully walked into his office. Fifteen minutes later I was ushered into his office and I told him my mission.This building permit guy without even inquiring who I was or where I was coming from or who may have sent me asked me if I want an expedited building permit. I then asked him to explain himself further, whereupon he told me that if I want the permit within two days I have to pay 2,000 Ghana Cedis.He also told me that if I want it between three to four days I have to pay 1,500 Ghana Cedis but if I want it seven days it will cost me 1,200 Ghana Cedis. Please don’t joke with this because it is a real story and I know the name of the official concerned.I then asked the AMA official if the levies he has mentioned were official levies and whether he was going to issue a receipt if I make the payment. The attitude of this man suddenly changed and he told me in the face that if I was not ready I should not subject him to any inquisition because he has other people waiting to see him. I left the AMA office very disappointed and wondered if what I heard was a Rambo movie I was watching.As I was going towards my parked car