One problem that has stifled the development of Ghana is corruption. The President of policy think IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe asserted that loses over $3 billion of taxpayer’s money in corrupt activities every year. He made this assertion in 2016 so between then and now, if we are to go by what he said, Ghana has lost $6 billion if not more.
One of the problems about corruption is its value. When I talk of value, I’m not referring to the bare cost but I’m looking at what the money could have been used for. With major infrastructural deficits, corruption should not be encouraged in any shape or form.
Quite a number of measures and laws have been put in place to ensure that corruption in Ghana becomes a thing of the past. For instance, Article 35(8) of the 1992 Constitution provides that “The State shall take steps to eradicate corrupt practices and abuse of power.”
According to Legal UN, This provision authorizes institutions to establish and promote effective practices aimed at the prevention of corruption.
I believe that it was in view of this that President Akuffo Addo’s government decided to appoint a Special Prosecutor in the person of Martin Amidu in earlier this year.
Though this measure comes among others, the government has also considered E-governance. It is important to note that the digital contribution to the fight against corruption has been immense.
According to Transparency International, “the 2017 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) had ranked Ghana, 81 out of 180 countries and territories included in this year’s CPI, to fight against corruption”.
In February 2018, GNA reported that the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), in interpreting Ghana’s rank suggested that “some of the new initiatives started by government such as the Paperless Port Clearing System, E-Procurement and the Digital Addressing System had improved business integrity and ultimately reduced corruption in the public sector.”
Again, in July 2017, Mr Agyenim Boateng Adjei, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Public Procurement Authority in addressing stakeholders at the launch of the e-government procurement in Accra, said it would ultimately ensure efficiency in the delivery of public services and save the public purse.
Above all, it would eliminate human elements in the procurement processes, eliminate corruption, collusion and fraudulent practices.
Electronic Governance (e-governance) is the application of Information Technology in government’s business with the aim of easing the governance process. The basic purpose of e-governance is to simplify processes for all, i.e. government, citizens, businesses, etc. at National, State and local levels.
In Ghana, some basic examples of e-governance are electronic Integrated Criminal Justice Case-Tracking System, Digital Address System and processes like the Ghana passport application process among others.
The implementation of all these E-solutions lies in the bosom of the National Information Technology Agency (NITA) which is mandated to develop IT Architecture and interoperability standards for government applications and networks and also carry out specialized ICT training for chief information officers and technical staff of key MDAs, and legislators and magistrates.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Frederick Ebo Hinson
Quelle/Source: JBKlutse, 28.07.2018
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