I have been listening and reading the reported news on how some officials of the outgone NDC government are shamefully stealing Ghana’s resources with unalterable incredulity.

If indeed, there are ignoble officials of the erstwhile NDC government who are unlawfully taking possession of the national assets, then intrepid and patriotic individuals like Kwame Bafoe, alias ‘Aboro nye DC’ cannot be condemned anyhow for taking it upon themselves to remind the perpetrators to return their loot.

Let me however emphasise: there is nothing wrong to claim perquisite to patriotism. Nevertheless, patriotism is not just by a word of mouth, for we could only exhibit our patriotism through our actions and inactions.

That is by showing our affection, solicitude and strong predilection towards our country in whatever we do.

Although the government somehow procrastinated in its response to the alleged stealing of the national assets by some recalcitrant NDC operatives, the recent constitution of a purposeful taskforce to retrieve stolen assets is commendable.

So, it would appear somehow baffling to many discerning Ghanaians that the NDC Party, led by their disputatious and litigious General Secretary Asiedu Nketsia would inanely organise a press conference to query the pertinence of setting up a taskforce to go after NDC operatives (See: ‘Asset seizure: We‘ll fight back-NDC’; starrfmonline.com/ghanaweb.com, 5/02/2017).

The all-important question however is: why must the NDC Party have problem with the work of a legitimate taskforce that has been assembled by the president to retrieve national assets from thieves?

Well, whatever Asiedu Nketsia and his strident apparatchiks reasons for bringing out the needless statement, their actions would be deemed as extraneous attempts to pervert the cause of justice.

Are we really serious as a nation at all? I do not think so. For if we were that serious, how can the NDC Party fight tooth and nail to prevent a legitimate taskforce from carrying out its mandated duty?

You see, our problem as a nation is: we have villainous and corrupt men and women who are only interested in amassing wealth at the expense of the masses. For that reason they would move heaven and earth to achieve their ostensible objectives.

Disappointingly, given that corruption is a serious economic, social, political and moral impediment to the nation building, our corrupt officials are bent on siphoning our scarce resources without showing any sign of remorse.

Yet, our corrupt leaders would have the audacity to blame their Western counterparts for the sufferings they have wilfully brought upon their subordinates.

All the same, I will dare state that a mephitically corrupt public servant is no less a human rights violator than the enigmatic Adolf Hitler.

Suffice it to stress that while Adolf Hitler savagely exterminated innocent people with lethal chemicals and sophisticated weapons, a contemporary corrupt public servant is blissfully bent on annihilating innocent citizens through wanton corruption and sleaze.

Consequently, the innocent citizens would often end up experiencing economic hardships, starvation, depression, emotional labour and squalor which eventually send them to their early grave.

The fact of the matter is that corruption is more often than not, slows down a nation’s development. Besides, corruption has become a global phenomenon in scope, substance and consequences.

Apparently, this evil phenomenon is found in all countries—big and small, rich and poor—but it is in the developing world that its effects are most pernicious.

The fact though remains: corruption hurts the poor disproportionately by diverting funds intended for development which more often than not, undermines a Government’s ability to provide basic services, and thereby breeding inequality and injustice and discouraging foreign aid and investment.

And more so corruption is a key element in economic underperformance and a major obstacle to poverty alleviation and development (UN 2003).

In any case, the crucial question is: how long can we endure the persistent corrupt practices of our voracious politicians?

The question again is: will the day come when political criminals find they have nowhere to hide?

Tell me, how on earth can individuals commit unpardonable crimes (gargantuan corruptions) against the state and get away with their misdeeds?

In ending, we must not and cannot only descend heavily on goat, cassava and plantain thieves and let go hard criminals disguised in politicians clothing, who inexorably steal our national assets.

“We are not serious as a nation, are we?”

K. Badu, UK.