Automation of Public Services Must Be Encouraged to Curb Corruption – Supreme Court Judge

A Supreme Court Judge, Justice Yaw Appau has called for the automation of public services like passport services, customary land administration, driver and vehicle licensing authority, public lotteries, public transport, postal services and other public regulatory services.

Delivering a lecture on “Uprooting Public Sector and Political Corruption in Ghana,” in Accra on May 12 organised by the Centre for Social Justice, he said this must be encouraged to reduce human contact as well as enhance quick and efficient delivery but has the potential to reduce corruption.

He was of the view that every government or public institution must be made to report annually on steps taken to reduce corruption including how better they have become as a result.

This requirement, he suggested should be mandatory with sanctions against the heads of institutions who refuse or fail to comply, stating “It is high time public office holders, particularly heads of departments, agencies and all public institutions, were periodically called upon to account.”

The Supreme Court Judge called for a strong and forward-looking political leadership, averring “Our presidents must be bold enough to strike when the iron is red hot, irrespective of whose ox is being gored. Their only limitation must be the Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land from which they derive their authority.”

“Nobody must be made to appear to be above the law.” He pointed out.

In another recommendation, he said “there is the urgent need to set national goals to guide all political parties in the outline of their political manifestos. All political manifestos must be geared towards fulfilling these national goals and aspirations.

This, he noted was, a task for the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), whose composition must be national in character embodying all our political parties and civil society organizations. We should know where we are going as a country instead of the current practice where the political party in power does things its own way.

The government, he emphasised must revisit the call for a political campaign funding bill as recommended by the Judgement Debt Commission which he chaired as Sole Commissioner, adding that “The funding of political activities and election campaigns has become a major source of corruption in public office.”

“Party patrons sponsor candidates to become members of parliament and Presidential candidates,” he indicated, saying “Others are sponsored to become metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives. When such candidates succeed in winning elections or get appointed, then it is ‘payback’ time for the patrons.”

“This is usually carried out by awarding dubious contracts to such cronies, which lead to unlawful abrogation of existing ones awarded by previous governments. Contracting parties that suffer such ordeals normally end up in courts where they manage to secure undefended judgments against the State, in most cases after the abrogating authorities have existed from power. Such judgments carry heavy penalties, sometimes factitious.”

According to Justice Appau, “A political campaign funding bill is therefore required to stem these sources of corruption, which in the long run, generate huge debts to the State.”

To add up to this, he said “our Political Parties must strictly comply with the provisions of article 55 of the 1992 Constitution and the Political Parties Act, 2000 [Act 574] on the organization of political parties in the country.”