African jurists see fighting corruption as an uphill task
The Association of African French-speaking Judicial authorities has stressed the urgent need to tackle corruption in Africa.
Fighting corruption was at the center of an international colloquium, which has just ended in Cotonou, Benin, which was held under the theme, "The legal and judicial systems of the French-speaking space against the problem of corruption."
WADR’s Cotonou Correspondent Euloge Aidasso reports that the Association of African French-speaking judicial authorities wishes to unite Africa through law and justice.
This is why this association is meeting on the issue of corruption, which is undermining the future of democracy in Africa.
Ousman Batchaco, Chairman of the Supreme Court of Benin cited some recurring corruption cases in his country, which he said showed how entrenched the menace was in the society.
“It was decided ten years ago to ban all building constructions in low land areas in Cotonou. Expensive billboards were setup in those neighborhoods to tell the inhabitants that this decision was final.
But at this very moment, our fellow countrymen are openly building houses in those low lying areas.
There are no reactions from the authorities of Cotonou city and Abomey-Calavi,” Batchaco said.
Benin’s Supreme Chairman Court said “anyone violating a law or an instruction is corrupt. It was decided to make the crash helmet mandatory to all motorcycle riders in Benin, but the order lasted only two weeks and in our country, no one says anything.”
According to Prime Minister Pascal Irenè Koupaki, one of the solutions against corruption should be good governance.
He noted that Benin was already implementing good governance and he listed a few evils of corruption.
“Corruption contributes to the destruction of a country’s image and the loss of its credibility. It jeopardizes the growth of private investment and the recovery of internal revenues,” the Beninese Prime Minister asserted.
Koupaki warned then that “corruption destroys the economic and social environment and weakens efforts to build the country’s economy.”
The meeting of the Association of African French-speaking Judicial authorities in Cotonou was opened in the presence of Beninese government officials, who included Members of Parliament, chairmen of institutions. Members of the diplomatic corps in the country, university and civil society representatives were also present.
Tweet
