Some academics, CSOs are more corrupt – Batidam

Some Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Ghana, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and some persons in academia are said to be more corrupt than government officials, anti-corruption crusader and the President’s Special Advisor on Governance and Corruption, Daniel Batidam has alleged. “

…There are people in Civil Society, NGOs and in academia who are more corrupt than people in government. You can only be corrupt as the opportunity avails…,” he alleged.

Batidam has been accused of becoming complacent in his quest to help fight corruption in Ghana after he was appointed to serve at the Presidency.

He has since strongly denied the accusation with the explanation that since he is now in government, his method and approach in fighting the social canker has changed.

He said it will be inappropriate to “stand outside and be shouting [at government] the same way as I would have done from Civil Society. It will be unprofessional. It’s not the way to work so I am not surprised if people think I am not as noisy as I was.”

However, in an interview on Eyewitness News, Batidam warned his colleagues still working in Civil Society to be “very, very careful because they should not give the impression that people are corrupt only depending on where they are because if that will be the case, a lot of them will have questions to answer.”

Batidam disclosed that he has never made this startling revelation because it will take the needed attention from the real issues affecting the nation and only end up in a blame game.

He made further claims of having evidence to substantiate his claim saying, “if I start calling names of people in NGOs and accuse them of corruption, you may be shocked but I can shorten that shock my providing you with evidence.”

Pressed for more clarification on his allegations, The President’s Special Advisor on Governance and Corruption said his focus is what he has been tasked to do to fight corruption “and not to be pointing fingers.”

He further stated that his allegation stems from the fact that people are “intrinsically and inherently corrupt so if you are corrupt, you will be corrupt whether you are in Civil Society, private sector or in government.”

Source: Citifmonline