CORRUPTION…..The Bedrock Of This Nation. Is Sierra Leone On The Edge?
EDITORIAL OPINION
By: Johnathan Lahai, Kenema
If the answer here is NO, I strongly recommend that we curb corruption, minimize fraudulence and bribery. Sierra Leone is a blessed country and we should give thanks to our Creator – God Almighty. There is a common phrase that says: “You can’t teach an old dog with new tricks.” On the other hand, in the ambits of self-development, leadership and success, they are all-too-common phrases like this one. Moreover, if taken to heart, this phrase can completely undermine our efforts before we ever get started. And therein lays the theme for this article.
For, it is the beliefs in so-called ‘truths’ like this one, most often prevents other powerful people or individuals who are filled with the potential greatness to help push this country forward, while others are trying to discourage them by breaking through to the happiness and success they seek. These are the unpatriotic citizens pulling their resources to bring this nation economic development down to her knees.
Corruption has a devastating impact on the lives of Sierra Leoneans, raising income inequality and disproportionately affecting the needy and the poor. Although it is difficult to monetize its effects precisely, the one campaign estimates that Sierra Leone alone is cocooned with corruption.
Corruption in Sierra Leone leads to the diversion of essential tax revenues that could have been used for economic and social development and should be used to reduce poverty and invest in public goods such as education, healthcare and infrastructure. Petty corruption, such as bribe paying, also has a negative impact on people’s lives and is a widespread problem in many developing countries, where individuals and organizations regularly violate formal-legal rules at all levels of society.
Corruption can also fuel societal and political tensions and conflict, which will undermine governments and have a detrimental effect on economic development by deterring investment. Corruption is difficult to define and spans a variety of misconducts, from the unethical behavior to political misconduct to bribe-taking to the sale of government property for personal gain or, more concisely, the abuse of public office for private gain.
Fastidiously, one would like to ask what has really conjured up into our minds as patriotic citizens in trying to cripple the socio-economic development of this nation. What do we think of this word “CORRUPTION”? When will these political leaders of this nation try to contemplate on eradicating this word and its practice? Is Sierra Leone on the edge of the cliff or economically doom to collapse very soon with the word “Corruption” steering on everybody’s face? Good questions.
Scrupulously, if you’re like most of the good and loyal patriotic citizens who love their country to death, and you believe, for whatever reason, that after a certain age, you can’t learn anything new? That is to say, after a certain point in life, an ‘old dog’ (corruption) cannot do anything about to change them or what they are able to do to change the course of people’s lives as patriotic citizens and the country’s direction for good governance, level of happiness for the underprivileged or ability to produce the results that the future generation would like to see. Here in Sierra Leone, and most other government workplaces around the world, most employees are Corrupt, Dishonesty, Deceitfulness and Fraudulence in one way or the other.
To the respect of our impeccable view, the “old dog” (corruption) in the phrase doesn’t have to be ‘old’ in the sense of years though. I’ve met many people several years ago during my junior, who believe that because they’ve done so many things a certain way, that, for them at least, any other way is out of the question.
Paradoxically and therein lays the continuality theme for this article, which is about the rampage and uncontrollable “GREED” and “CORRUPTION” that is eating the entire fabric of this nation. For, it is the belief in so-called ‘truths’ like this one that most often prevents otherwise powerful people to know that are sitting at the edge of the cliff, these individuals who are government officials filled with the potential for greatness as if they are doing the right thing and to break through to the happiness and success they seek to impress their love ones and their street pals. Looking at all these, it’s naïve, preposterous, absurd and meaningless.
In spite of what you would think, although there are few ones who are trying assiduously to contribute on the nation’s overall retrogression in the habit of CORRUPTION (extorting and embezzlement of government funds), while others who are the few patriotic citizens are focusing on the success and the trait of ‘commitment’ to progress. The word “commitment “describes as a ‘duty,’ ‘promise,’ ‘responsibility,’ or ‘pledge.’ And, each of these key words can be used to focus our intention on breaking free of these self and outwardly imposed limiting beliefs to unleash our own power which is to be what we choose. Understanding with clarity and focus, we must allow ourselves willingly to set up our lives in a way that nation cannot collapse on us, and if it does, it would be dealt with very quickly and decisively.
Meticulously, our legislators and key political leaders should take hard look at each of these ‘keys’ to commitment, which will help eradicate or curb corruption. Moreover, as these words “to commitment” is interact to the concept of a Warrior-ship, it is now our desire to engage the world in a positive and productive way in order to better understand why we must grab the opportunity for growth whenever possible. Moreover, we all know that, the only thing that is eating the nation’s socio-economics development is “CORRUPTION” which is still the game of the day. In conclusion to this, our political leaders owe us a fiduciary relationship. Which are the guiding principles on good governance and to curb corruption for socio-economic progress?
