We couldn’t agree more with the Justice Minister

The two-day awareness-raising and validation workshop on the Draft Anti-Corruption Bill 2016 commenced yesterday by the Ministry of Justice has demonstrated the commitment of the powers that be in The Gambia to put in place penal measures to curb the menace of corruption affecting nations the world over.

Corruption, as was stated by the Justice Minister at the commencement of the workshop yesterday, is indeed “the number one enemy to the progress and development of any country, especially developing countries”.

This is because where corruption prevails, nothing good that facilitates national development is given the opportunity to work.

Because in any society where such vices as nepotism, misappropriation of state funds and other resources, fraud, bribery, venality and sleaze have become the order of the day; infrastructural development is derailed, jobs and such opportunities are given to the wrong persons, state resources are misused, the national economy is always in huge deficit and a lot of other setbacks to national development take place.

Regarding corruption around the world, it has been stated that, “Corruption is a curse that afflicts many countries. It has become a major cause of concern throughout the world, but especially for developing and underdeveloped countries it has been nothing less than blaspheme. Extensive poverty and economic crisis in these nations have led to corruption. It has infringed upon every aspect of society, government, business, military and so on. Even regulations have failed to combat corruption, as in most cases, even the enforcers and lawmakers have turned out to be corrupt”.

As the draft anti-corruption bill is being validated, it is expected that once it is enacted and made into law, it must be well utilised for the good of the nation.

“A man who has never gone to school may steal a freight car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad.”

Theodore Roosevelt