As part of its fortnight seminar presentations, the Cambridge University Ghanaian Society (CUGS) of the University of Cambridge organised a forum on the latest exposé by investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas.
The forum was on the topic: ‘Corruption and Investigative Journalism in Ghana’.
The event, which was held at the hall of Metro Bank, Cambridge, brought together Ghanaian and non-Ghanaian students and academics in Cambridge University and other universities in the United Kingdom.
The forum was predicated on the assumption that corruption is both transnational and transcultural moral and political challenge that undermines development.
Following the screening of Number 12: When Misconduct & Greed Become the Norm, which uncovered deep-seated corruption at the Ghana Football Association (GFA), and resultant resignation of Kwesi Nyantakyi, the former GFA president, the discourse on corruption was taken to another level.
The foray of Kennedy Agyapong, Assin Central MP, into the conversation brought the discussion into a head.
Before the forum began, Sabastine Eugene Arthur, the president of CUGS, had intimated that the association had no interest in pursuing any partisan interest in the discussion.
The forum provided opportunity for Ghanaians in the UK to contribute to the discussions in Ghana.
Dr. Justice Tankebe, a Ghanaian academic at the Criminology Department of the University of Cambridge, gave the opening remarks.
In his remarks, he asseverated that the fight against corruption has been hampered by multiple factors, which include failure to grasp the complexity of corruption, the near absence of research evidence, constructed or designed anti-corruption institutions, centralisation of cosmetic institutions, and the failure to organise random integrity tests.
He argued that the persistence of corruption in Ghana and other African countries are as a result of these factors.
Dr. Gabriel Amable, a Ghanaian Geomatics Officer at the University of Cambridge, argued against any attempt to read functionalism into the issue of corruption.
He dismissed all suggestions that corruption could potentially be beneficial to building the economies of Africa.
Other Ghanaians, especially those born and bred in the UK, expressed concerns about the frustrations they encounter, as a result of petty corruptions, whenever they visit Ghana.
Discussants were sharply divided over the modus operandi of Anas.
Many expressed concerns that his methods involved entrapping and baiting his victims, and so could not be accepted as best journalism practices.
Even so, others said that until a better approach is deployed, Anas’ approach is necessary for rooting out corruption in Ghana.
Credit: Charles Prempeh|University of Cambridge|UK
Editted by Emmanuel Kwame Amoh|3news.com|Ghana