MPs take bribe for girlfriends’ – Prof. Stephen Adei

• Posted on October 13, 2015
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Professor Stephen Adei, former rector of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), has stated that corruption in the first legislative arm of government has risen to the extent that some parliamentarians take bribes that would cater for their girlfriends (laptops).

Addressing the 40th anniversary thanksgiving service and speech and prize-giving day of the SAPS School in Accra over the weekend, Prof Adei revealed that most Members of Parliament (MPs) use their roles on parliamentary select committees and the House to receive bribes before approving policies and passing certain bills.

“The other day somebody asked me a question and I was so shocked. The person asked whether I gave bribe to Parliament for them to pass GIMPA’s law.

“Not knowing that now if you want Parliament to pass anything else, not only do you bribe the committee, but after they have gotten their share, they ask you where is our ‘laptop’? In other words, you haven’t made provision for our girlfriends,” he said.

Prof Adei also described some of the MPs as ‘glorified thieves’ although almost every need of theirs is met by the state. He said the time had come for the country to rise and for its leaders to serve and lay the foundation of righteousness for the next generation.

 “Train your children to be servant-leaders wherever they are,” Prof Adei told the gathering.

He also encouraged parents and teachers to bring up their wards in a manner that will empower them to overcome the temptation to be corrupt when they assume leadership roles in the future.

Prof Adei said available statistics show that 80 percent of all people who will go to heaven make their decision for Jesus Christ before the age of 18.

“The children should grow up knowing Jesus Christ and if we do so, we will not have judges who collect bribes to pervert justice,” he said when he delivered his speech on the integrity of Ghana’s educational system at the celebration.

He said the country’s current educational system leaves much to be desired, especially when it comes to public basic and secondary schools.

He said great initiatives of government like stopping the payment of fees by day secondary school students will bring the needed relief to poor parents but the way forward is not by building humongous schools.

“What we need are rather smaller schools with facilities for teachers’ residence. That we can have many schools so that they are within commuter distance for students,” he said.

Prof Adei said there is the need for a redefining of the role of the Ghana Education Service and restricting it to curricula development, inspection and supervision while returning the management of schools to the churches and old local authorities to facilitate better decision-making, governance, accountability and management.

“In an era where the CPP is asking for the return of their assets, the churches must demand the return of their schools and make it a campaign issue in 2016,” he added.

By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri