The fight against corruption entails the “formation of consciences”, the Director of Social Communications Commission of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon (NECC) has said.

In a Tuesday, September 12 interview with ACI Africa, Fr. Humphrey Tatah Mbuy lamented “endemic” corruption in Cameroon, saying that the Central African nation was “gradually falling apart”, and that the governance system needed an “overhaul”.

“The government has been trying to diminish the level of corruption but it is endemic. It is something that is built into the system,” said, adding, “You can’t just get up and clean it. It is difficult to wipe it out but not impossible.”

He underscored the importance of internalized value systems at individual level, saying, “There is need for the formation of consciences through proper education in values from all sectors.”

“Our African values for morality which existed before are no longer there. They have been put upside down,” Fr. Mbuy further lamented, and explained, “Three things matter to people now; money, position and possession. People no longer care whatever means they use to get these things.”

In his considered opinion, “Our morality is still to be recovered from this influence of secularism and especially Marxist materialism.”

“There is a certain amount of discretion that each Church leader must possess and which society has a right to expect from each of them. The same applies to those in public service, called to be servants of the people in their administration and political choices,” the Cameroonian Catholic Priest further said.

He went on to highlight some “moral principles” that he said “are necessary to handle corruption in Cameroonian society today.”

“First, there is absolute necessity to make amends, repair or restitution in cases of misappropriation of public funds,” the Director of Social Communications Commission of NECC told ACI Africa.

He added, “There is every reason to continue to stand on the side of good against evil, upholding integrity, rather than give in to licentiousness.”

Source: aciafrica