Join forces to fight corruption

Yemen ranked 154 out of 180 countries in corruption by Transparency International. This rank shows that Yemen sorely needs to change its approaches in its battle with corruption. The battle against corruption in Yemen can only succeed if all corrupt officials are publically thrown out of government institutions.

What is needed in this important battle is the publishing of names involved in corruption and publicizing their shameful acts. It is true that the government has established the Supreme National Authority for Combating Corruption (SNACC) almost two years ago, but we have never heard or read about an official who was found guilty of corruption and was tried in public.

It is corruption that is responsible for the hindrances of economic growth, and the increase of the gap between the poor and the rich. One can go to the extent and say that corruption is responsible for all the negative aspects that prevail in Yemen.

The establishment of SNACC and the anti-Corruption Law was a good first step to improve Yemen’s status, but their fruits of these efforts have yet to be seen. People in the street are eager to read or watch a public official be prosecuted in court for corruption crimes.

Sending corrupt officials to justice will transmit a clear-cut message to citizens that there is a serious will in the government to fight corruption.

Yemen and Africa will only be corruption free when sound economic, political and social standards are sustained. Corruption is like a serious disease, eating up nations, creating dangerous unrest in the victimized country. A lot of people are using it as an excuse for all illegal behavior. People guilty of corruption must be punished in the most severe way. Of course, Yemen cannot be free from corruption but minimizing it is a start.
 

Another factor that can also help Yemen’s battle with corruption is clear-cut legislation that will give concerned sides like SNACC and COCA more power to prosecute corruption. This would enable them to try corrupt cases faster if they have all the necessary evidence. Media and civil society organizations should play a key role in this. It is not enough to write corruption when there is an event. It is a national disgrace and should get great attention. The media will be successful in this regard if they manage through extensive coverage of corruption to make people in their houses, in public places, in restaurants everywhere to start to talk about corruption. Then they can say that their message has passed to its target groups.

In short, fighting corruption should be looked at as the problem effecting all of us. That’s why the responsibility of fighting corruption is not only the job of the government; it is societies responsibility, as well.

Campaign in public places, universities, schools, everywhere, until citizens realize the corruption dilemma, destroying our country.

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