The President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Most Reverend Philip Naameh, has bemoaned efforts of government at protecting the public purse and has described the effort as an illusion.
The Bishop who was addressing religious faithful at the opening of a five-day plenary assembly by the Conference at Wa on Monday, stated that “the expressed commitment of the President of the Republic to protect the public purse, a promise which was welcomed by citizens seems to be an illusion now”.
He emphasised that the misapplication of the nation’s resources by people in power had become an issue of concern to citizens in the face of less action on perpetrators of the unfavourable act.
“Are those managing the public purse not concerned about the waste and misapplication of resources that belong to all Ghanaians, can this be referred to as irresponsible use of power or lack of empathy and compassion?” he queried.
Most Rev.Naameh hinted that there had been concerns about good governance in terms of managing public resources for the general good of citizens as efforts to reduce corruption to the barest minimum was fast becoming a mirage in the country and needed to be reconsidered to enhance the development of the area.
“Perceived corruption and corruptible practices by politicians and other politically exposed persons are taking a toll on the national economy and making the poverty situation more dismal and progressive,” he stressed.
Most Rev.Naameh who is also the Metropolitan Archbishop of Tamaleindicated that growing poverty was further widening the gap between the rich and the poor in the country and making living conditions worse for the underprivileged who suffered the repercussions of the corrupt deeds of the minority in power.
“Prices of essentials are rising daily;people seem to struggle to keep families and lives together as poverty stares us in the face and it appears no one is taking note,” he lamented and called on government to have a second look at its commitment to the welfare of the citizens in the country.
He called on politicians to use the power that were vested in them by the citizenry for the good of the people, stating that “power when used with compassion and empathy in truthfulness and humility benefited the very fibre of society”.
FROM LYDIA DARLINGTON FORDJOUR, WA
