Frustrations Spilling Over In Ghana —Victor Smith
Ghana’s former Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Victor Smith, has blamed the country’s developmental challenges and widespread poverty on leadership failure.
“I blame this sad situation and failure to progress quickly on the failure of leadership. This country is going to the dogs.
“People are poor and in some cases destitute and leadership is not adequately addressing the real issues to improve lives and bring progress and prosperity to the lives of the people. Leadership parochial interest has taken centre stage,” he said.
Calling for the need to traverse a new course, Mr Smith said: “Bad leadership, leading to widespread poverty and joblessness, was gradually eroding moral and social values in the nation.”
He said corruption continues to increase creating despondency and frustrations among the Ghanaian populace and citizens were gradually becoming repulsive which was a threat to the stability of the country.
“People’s frustrations are beginning to spillover and frustrated people are getting lawless, more adventurous and reckless even at the risk of their own lives,” he said.
He added: “Corruption is bad for our socio-economic growth. Corruption is denying the majority of people real progress. People are being robbed of the life they have had. Corruption is denying people justice from corrupt law enforcement officials. Corruption is hurting the poorest most but in the end, it is a great threat to the national interest of our country.”
Mr Smith made the observations when he delivered a speech at the handing over ceremony of new executives of the Koforidua Technical Institute branch of the Tertiary Education Institutions Network (TEIN) of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
According to him, governments must allow the laws of the country to work to deal with persons indicted for corruption to serve as a deterrent.
Present at the programme were some members of the Minority Caucus in Parliament including Alhaji AB Fuseini, Albert Adongo, Thomas Ampem Nyarko, and Betty Krosby.
Others included flag-bearer hopeful, Elikplim Abgemava.
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