General News of Wednesday, 25 May 2005

Source: GNA

Govt asked to show commitment to the anti-corruption drive

Accra, May 25, GNA- Government has been asked to define a clear cut road map, to achieve its avowed aim of curbing indiscipline, which has permeated every fibre of society.

The Reverend Professor Samuel Kwasi Adjepong, President of the Methodist University College, who made the remark on Wednesday, said although every Ghanaian had the social responsibility to strengthen the moral string of the country, Government has the singular duty of providing leadership by example.

Speaking at the 12th Graduation and Admission ceremony of the Institute of Chartered Accountants - Ghana (ICA) in Accra, Rev. Prof. Adjepong observed that the increasing trend of corrupt practices in the country were immoral and constituted major acts of indiscipline. He stressed: "We can certainly alleviate corruption from its endemic state to an isolated state and this requires a full scale war by all stakeholders to fight the canker that has become a bane in the socio-economic development of the country."

Prof. Adjepong said the statutory organisations charged with the responsibility of fighting corruption should be provided with the needed logistics to function effectively.

" We need to build more human capacities which would not be confined to the cities and the regional capitals only, but must be stretched to the district levels and their work should be transparent and given wider publicity."

Prof. Adjepong said an ethical environment should be instilled in all aspects of organisational structures as part of the corporate culture.

"A written code of ethics of business that integrates values such as trust, honesty and integrity will help set the tone, "he said. He urged accountants and auditors to be at the forefront in the war against both domestic and international corruption.

Prof Adjepong called on the ICA to ensure that members who flouted their professional conducts were severely punished.

Mr Daniel Acquaye, President of ICA, asked the 64 new members to exhibit professionalism by maintaining high ethical values.