Founder of the Movement for Change, Alan Kojo Kyeremanten, has stated that Ghana’s economic problems can be significantly improved if corruption and its related practices are reduced by just 10 per cent.
According to Mr Kyeremanten, corruption is responsible for Ghana’s indebtedness to the International Monetary Fund and its external creditors, as a few individuals have amassed wealth to the detriment of the nation.
During an appearance on JoyNews’ Newsfile, he emphasized the impact of reducing corruption, saying, “If we could just abate corruption by 10%, only by 10%, it will increase our economic performance by double of that, about 20%.”
Mr Kyeremanten also stressed that all sectors of the country are affected by corruption and indicated that, if given the political mandate, he would sign a citizen’s contract with the people of Ghana to wage a relentless war against corruption.
Furthermore, the former Trade and Industry Minister outlined his Great Transformational Programme (GTP) as a means to address these issues. The GTP consists of six clusters, including the economic cluster and constitutional reforms, among others.
He pointed out that the economic cluster will address matters of the economy and ways to improve it, while constitutional reforms will seek to improve the quality of governance, addressing behavioral and attitudinal changes among citizens.
Mr Kyeremanten also highlighted the need for leadership and constitutional reforms to tackle the country’s ongoing issues with corruption, stating, “It is about leadership. Leadership by example. When we talk about leadership by example, it is not just about leadership as a president. It is about the president and the people around you. That is the leadership by example, collective leadership by example.”
He further emphasized that legal and regulatory transparency and institutional response are crucial in the fight against corruption, along with the need to fix laws and regulations that create openings for corrupt practices.
Transparency International’s latest Corruption Perceptions Index ranked Ghana as 70th out of 180 countries in terms of corruption, scoring 43 out of a possible 100. This score has remained unchanged since 2020, indicating the ongoing challenge of corruption in the country.
It is evident that addressing corruption is a critical factor in improving Ghana’s economic and social outlook, and Mr Kyeremanten’s proposed approach through the GTP could provide a framework for meaningful change in the fight against corruption.
