General News of Sunday, 4 August 2013

Source: radioxyzonline

I’m being forced to "steal" – Victoria Hammah

Deputy Communications Minister, Victoria Hammah says a lot of pressure is being mounted on her by some Ghanaians to “steal” from the state kitty to satisfy their needs.

Ms. Hammah, who describes as “obnoxious” and “unhealthy menace”, the deluge of prodding and incessant attempts by people to railroad her into corrupt acts, says the situation is befuddling.

She complained via a post on her facebook page that: “The public make unrealistic demands of money for funerals, support for Mphil programmes, monies for air fare ticket, hospital bills, capital for businesses, money for rent and even demand to induce [the] justice process etc”.

According to her, “…People even ask of me to use official letter heads to influence processes for them”.

She noted that: “Since my appointment as a deputy Minister of Communications, the aforementioned [are] but a few of the obnoxious demands made of me by some Ghanaians”.

“…Where do[es] the public expect me to get the money from?” She wondered, adding that: “Corrupt Politicians are the reflection of [a] corrupt society!”

The young Deputy Minister said anytime she enquired from those in question where they thought she could get the money, “their answers seem obvious; 'steal and give us our share'”.

“This I find very retrogressive indeed!” Victoria Hammah condemned.

“Are we beginning as a people to accept the menace of corruption and abuse of office? Are we institutionalising corruption?” She asked.

She noted that: “We must wake up to this unhealthy menace and address it comprehensively; in as much as we demand accountability from public office holders, we as a people must demand accountability from our own conscience”.

"When there is no meat eater; the butcher doesn't have a Job", she quoted.