Ghanaian businessman and former President of AngloGold Ashanti Samuel Esson Jonah, has said the menace of corruption is the main factor impeding the country’s development.

According to him, growing levels of corruption in all sectors of the national economy are due to greed and self-centredness among Ghanaians.

Sam Jonah stated that corrupt practices had become the order of the day among Ghanaians since people wanted to use their positions to enrich themselves at the expense of the general growth and development of the country.

Speaking at the 2023 annual general conference of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSG), he urged professionals such as pharmacists to help in the fight against the canker by being patriotic and speaking out against corruption.

“Corruption deters domestic and foreign investment, undermines trust in public institutions, reduces economic growth, and sadly makes the lives of the poor even more unbearable. Specifically for your sector, corruption endangers lives through fake and substandard medication, unqualified personnel, and woefully inadequate infrastructure.

“I recognize that each of you as individuals, for one reason or another, may not be able to speak up. If you wonder why I speak my mind, it is because those of us who have benefitted from the kindness of this nation and the long life God has granted us owe a duty to God and our country to speak up not only for what benefits us personally but for what safeguards the entire society.

“Corruption and greed have eaten deep into the fabric of our nation. Young people are fast losing hope and the dignity of labour. Public services, which are already paid for by taxpayers’ money are subject to bribes solicited by public officials in order to speed up processes or to exempt people from necessary procedures,” Sam Jonah noted.

He further stated that Ghana will continue to be a less developed country unless the menace of corruption is curtailed.