Govt. disappointed over CPI score

Tuesday, December 6, 2011
By Edmund Mingle
The government says recent slip by Ghana in the Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI) will not break its resolve in fighting corruption.
Rather, it will encourage the government to redouble its efforts tackling the menace in the Ghanaian society.
“As a government, we believe we have done a lot to deserve a better score,” Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, deputy Minister of Information told the Times in Accra yesterday.
He said although the government expected an improved score over that of the previous year, it would nevertheless consider the new score as a source of motivation to ensure that all sectors fought corruption with the same zeal as the Executive.

The 2011 Index report indicated Ghana, from a list of 183 countries, slipped to 69 in 2011 having scored 3.9points, from its 62nd position with 4.1points in 2010.
The deputy Minister said it was unfortunate that the perception of corruption was high for this year, saying the government was actively playing its part it the fight against the menace by instituting the appropriate measures to plugs the loopholes for corruption.
He cited President Mills’ exemplary leadership and unparalleled credibility as an open, incorruptible person, his open governance style, as well as his insistence on accountability by his appointees as key indicators of the success of the government’s efforts.

In addition, he pointed out other measures adopted by the government which he believed should have attracted a better score for the country.
These, he said, included government’s signing onto the Extractive Industry Transparency Index (EITI), the regular public declaration of proceeds from the oil and gas, the sending of the he Right to Information Bill to Parliament, the installation of new scanners at the airport to check the drug menace, strengthened the Economic and Organised Crimes Office, collaboration with the media, in addition to implementation of reforms in the revenue collection agencies, and the security services to fight corruption.
“We are implemented all these measure within these three years, and we know we deserved better,” he said.
According to him, the government would do well to regain its 4.1 score, which is Ghana’s best ever CPI score.
“We are encouraged by our historical performance of 4.1, and we resolve to even pass that mark,” he stressed.
In the latest report, the CPI scored 183 countries and territories from 0 (highly corrupt) to 10 (very clean), based on perceived levels of public sector corruption, using data from 17 surveys that look at factors such as enforcement of anti¬corruption laws, access to information, and conflicts of interest.

Botswana, which is ranked 32 globally with a score of 6.1 out of 10, was adjudged Africa's cleanest nation. Cape Verde, Mauritius and Rwanda followed suit, with ranks of 41, 46 and 49 with scores of 5.5, 5.1 and 5.0 respectively.
New Zealand is ranked the least corrupt nation on earth, with a score of 9.5. The Scandinavian countries of Denmark, Finland and Norway followed suit, with scores of 9.4, 9.4 and 9.3 out of a clean score of 10 respectively.
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Canadian Parliament praises Ghana

From Edmund Mingle, Ottawa, Canada.
The Parliament of Canada has praised Ghana for its impressive socio-economic growth in recent years and especially the progress of democracy in Ghana, indicating that Ghana is a country worth emulating.
The Canadian legislature also commended the government for its commitment to ensure that the upcoming general elections was free, fair and transparent, saying that was vital in consolidating the gains made in the pursuit of democracy and good governance.
Renel Andreychuk, Chairperson of the Canadian-African Parliamentary Association, at meeting between Canadian Senators and President Mills at Parliament House in Ottawa as part of his visit to Canada, said the Senate was impressed about the tremendous progress being made by Ghana.
According to her the Senate, and particularly the Canadian-African Parliamentary Association, the progress of Ghana was being followed with keen, applauding her improved democratic credentials.
President Mills, addressing the senators, President affirmed his commitment to ensure that the gains made in the area of democracy were built on and protected.
He thanked the government of Canada for its continuous support, describing that country as a “reliable and genuine development partner.”
Explaining some of the objectives of a number of economic policy to the members of the Senate, President Mills noted that although the country has an emerging oil industry, “we do not want to rely on oil revenue.”
Instead, he said the focus was on advancing the agriculture sector which has a huge potential for sustainable socio-economic growth.
He also noted that the nation’s drive infrastructure development, which is a major pillar in the government better Ghana agenda, was in high gear, and therefore called for more support in that regard.
“It’s our determination to ensure free and fair elections,” he told the legislators.
“We do not want to fall into the trap which other countries could not avoid,” he said, adding that one of the ways of protecting the rights of citizens toward enriching democratic rule was to conduct credible elections.
Inviting them to monitor the elections, President Mills said the government was prepared to fully resource the Electoral Commission to perform the task satisfactorily, and called for the cooperation of all partners.
Canada is a model that all of us would want to emulate
“At a time when others were not prepared to help us, Canada gave us a helping hand,” he told the Senators, and stressed his administration’s preparedness to continue to partner Canada for the mutual benefit of both nations.
As part of the visit, President Mills called on the Canadian Prime Minister, Stephen Harper where they held closed door discussions with the aim of further consolidating the ties between the two nations.
Prime Minister Harper, was very happy about the enhanced cooperation between the two countries, and assured Ghana of Canada’s partnership towards achieving Ghana development objectives.
The Prime Minister also lauded the opening of refurbished Ghana Mission in Ottawa, indicating that it would help increasing interaction between the people of the two countries.
From there, President Mills opened the refurbished Ghana Mission building in Ottawa, amidst excitement among Ghanaians in that country.
He opening of the refurbished building, which was purchased by Ghana comes in the wake of the need for a permanent building to facilitate the trade and immigration activities between Ghana and Canada.
The building, which was acquired by Ghana after independence, deteriorated over the year due to poor maintenance.
Opening the building, President Mills thanked all who contributed to the reopening of the facility, and saying it should be considered milestone in government’s objective of advancing trade and cooperation between Ghana and Canada.
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President moves against foreign interference

From Edmund Mingle, Ottawa, Canada.
President John Evans Atta Mills has initiated a campaign against foreign interference in African affairs, calling for a more united Africa to wade of such interference which is adversely affecting the continent.
The increasing trend of interference by foreign super powers in Africa, he said, has increasingly become detrimental to the progress of the continent, indicating that Africans need to be bold in stopping the trend.
“We must take bold steps forward to be able to break away from the influence and frequent intrusion of those super powers,” he told members of the African Diplomatic Corps in Canada, during an interaction with them in Ottawa on Friday, as part of his official visit to Canada.
Deploring the foreign intrusion which he said has rather worsened situations in Africa because the developed countries always pursued their interest instead of the interest of Africa, he blamed the situation on Africa because it is not united.
“Some countries still believe our countries in Africa should dance to their tunes. Unfortunately some of us also find it very difficult to break the umbilical cords that link us to those countries. But we must take bold steps forward to be able to do this.
“We as African leaders have to sit down to find out what we have done wrong,” he said, reminding the continent that “if you allow others to dictate to you and you allow others to take your destiny in their hands, you will have no control over how they will direct you.”
According to President Mills, who recently called the bluff of the British Prime Minister to withhold aid to nations that don’t approve of homosexuality, insisting that Britain can’t dictate to Ghana, said the cause of disunity in Africa was that over the years African nations have pursued different agenda, “and have tended to look at problems facing us as problems facing individual nations rather that the continent.”
“We should owe allegiance to only Africa and not to any other power or super power,” he said, stressing the is need for Africa to be united
In his view, the commonality of interest among African nations, should make the continent strongly united, reminding African leaders that do the outside forces would always pursued their own interests.
“What is happening in Africa is not pleasant and palatable and something that we can be proud of. Now it not even a matter of they talking to us, but they are directing us in a way that will suit their interests and not ours,” he stressed.
Citing the Libya crisis as an example of foreign interference, he noted that “there are developments on the continent where others outside have decided what to do in other parts of Africa.”
The answer in addressing the situation, he said, lied in African leaders coming together to forge ahead.
“The way forward is for all of us to get together and talk to one another,” he noted African nations have for far too long listened to others outside.
According to him, many African nations have fallen victims to the machination of the outside forces, citing the situation in Libya in which the western powers disrespected the African Union’s decision to resolve the crisis amicably, and rather used violence to oust the government.
“We felt that as a Union that there should be cease fire because negotiations were ongoing for the two sides to come together to have the crisis resolved, but regrettably, that stance was ignored,” he stated.
“If anything happens in Libya, are they going to come to the AU for advice to solve it?” he asked, saying “this is not the best.”
He called for more interaction and peer review among African nations and their leaders citing the African Peer Review Mechanism, as very helpful in correcting negative situations on the continent.
“We don’t want a situation where outside powers would come and do peer review for us, because they do not understand our situation,” he said, explaining that in such situations where outside powers does peer review, based on their interest, the situation rather worsens.
As Africans, he said “we have our own ideals and unique characteristics, and however much others may love us, they can never understand the African psyche.”
The President was however glad that “Africa is waking up from a long sleep,” indicating that many of the continent’s leaders have recognized the need for a paradigm shift in leadership.
Expressing worry about the state of the continent, President Mills noted that there was no justification for Africa to remain poor in spite of her abundant resources.
Ironically, he said other nations who are held out as prosperous, have continuously benefited from Africans resources, whilst Africa rather keep matching backwards.
He reminded his colleague leaders ensure the growth of democracy in their countries for enhanced good governance, indicating that once they have chosen the path of democracy, “you have to be bound by the rules that govern democracy.”
The President urged the Ambassadors and others around leaders African leaders to present the truth to them to so that leaders get the true picture of situations so as to take the appropriate measures in the interest of their people.
The ambassadors in their response were full of praise for the President, describing him as a transformation leader.
“We are proud to have such a visionary leader, and we need more of your kind in Africa for the growth of the continent,” said Juliette Bonkoungou, Dean of the African Diplomat Corps in Canada, and Ambassador of Burkina Faso to Canada.
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