CORRUPTION SETBACK FOR DEV. -- VEEP

Story: Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Nkroful
The Vice-President, John Dramani Mahama has stated that grave corruptions, selfish leadership, greed, lack of patriotism on the part of leaders have left the country poorer decades after the death of its farsighted leader Osagyefoe Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.
He said the life of Dr. Nkrumah should teach all, particularly when in public service to avoid graft, corruption and plundering of public resources private benefit when given the opportunity to render service to their fellow compatriots.
The Vice-President was speaking at a colorful durbar of chiefs and people the Nzema areas as part of the Centenary Birthday Celebration of the country’s first President of Ghana.
“Today, the unfortunate situation is that, the spirit of patriotism and sacrifice is lacking and understandably so, decades of leadership following the death of Dr Kwame Nkrumah, in which persons trusted with leadership have just been focused on self enrichment rather than service to the people,” he said.
“As a result, such acts have left our people with deep sense of distrust of their leaders and has also a certain sense of aloofness or indifference in our people,” he lamented.
The Vice-President said, “We can only change our nation’s circumstances if we all put our shoulders to the wheel and give a little shove to move our nation in the direction of progress and prosperity in transparent and accountable manner.”
He said Dr Nkrumah was a selfless leader and valued human dignity as well as welfare of mankind above material gains and possession adding that that was why he was not obsessed with material gains and did not believe on property owning democracy.
He said centenary celebration of Nkrumah was a call on all, particularly the youth to aspire to higher values of sacrifice and commitment to ideals of service to one’s nation.
According to the vice-president, ideas, good deeds and meritorious service to one’s community and country could leave an enduring legacy after one’s death which is more fulfilling than corruption and acts that rob the country.
“We should not forget that great men and women who contributed for the advancement of humanity like Kwame Nkrumah and that is what we mean when we say Nkrumah never dies.
He deplored the level of development in the region and Nzema areas and assured the people that the government was doing everything possible to ensure that region was given the needed attention.
Mr Mahama said the minister of roads and highways was in northern part of the region to access the conditions of the road from the recent flooding.
He said the minister would continue to tour various parts of the Nzema land to enable government to map out strategies to tackle the problem within the short, medium and long term.
For their part the chiefs requested when the African heads of state visited Ghana for the celebration they should be brought to his birth place.
The ceremony was attended by chiefs across the region, heads of corporate institutions, district chief executives, members of parliament and members of the diplomatic community, members of various political parties.