The South African politician, Julius Malema, known for his fiery rhetoric has expressed deep concerns over the growing threat of corruption to Ghana’s democratic principles.
In a compelling address at the Arise Ghana event held at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Accra on Tuesday, January 23 2024, the founder and leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in his address minced no words as he delved into the detrimental impact of corruption on the nation.
He strongly asserted that the pervasive corruption among public officials in Ghana poses a severe risk to the nation’s democratic foundations.
He emphasized that the unfortunate fact that Ghana’s ongoing struggle with corruption has forced the country to seek financial bailouts from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on multiple occasion’s compromises the decision-making autonomy that should be enjoyed by the leaders of the country.
The leader and founder of the South African’s Economic Freedom Fighters further argued that the very essence of a sovereign state is jeopardized when corruption infiltrates its core institutions.
He pointed out that the current situation not only undermines the democratic principles but also denies Ghanaians the rightful benefits of the country’s abundant mineral resources.
Furthermore, the fiery politician passionately advocated for a system where the wealth generated from mining activities directly contributes to the welfare and prosperity of the Ghanaian populace.
In a stern warning about the consequences of present-day corruption, Malema stated that embezzling from the public coffers essentially steals from the future. He added that the repercussions will be felt by the youth, who will inevitably bear the burden of the accumulating debt.
Mr Malema called for a collective effort to combat corruption and safeguard Ghana’s democracy, urging leaders and citizens alike to take decisive action.
During his address, Malema emphasized the need for a united front against corruption, calling for a collective effort to preserve the democratic principles that form the backbone of Ghana’s governance.
He urged leaders to implement stringent measures to curb corruption within their ranks and proposed a system where the benefits of the nation’s resources are distributed equitably among the citizens.
Malema Calls For State-Led Development Model To Address Unemployment In Africa
Moreover, Julius Malema, the Founder and leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in South Africa, emphasized the importance of adhering to Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s principles of state-led development as a key strategy to address the persistent issue of unemployment in Ghana and other part of the African continent.
Reacting to most African countries lack of development since independence, Mr Malema argued that the privatization of strategic sectors of the economy across various countries in the continent is what has exacerbated unemployment on the continent, as the primary interest of most private businesses is to make profit, often at the expense of workers.
“Well if you drift away from Nkrumah’s principles of state-led development and you prioritise privatization of strategic sectors of the economy, you’ll never address the issue of unemployment because the interest of business is to maximize on profit and every time you privatise something strategic, the first victims of privatization is the workers”
Julius Malema
Malema further contended that a state-led, corruption-free development approach is essential to ensure inclusive economic growth.
He asserted that when the state takes the lead, its primary goal is not profit-making but generating sufficient resources to finance social responsibility programs.
In this model, Malema expressed confidence that the state can play a crucial role in absorbing a significant portion of the workforce through public initiatives and projects.
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