Good morning one and all. Respected Principal, teachers and my dear friends, it is my pleasure and privilege to stand before you today. I am honored to have this opportunity to speak to such a distinguished audience.Today on this occasion, I would like to talk about the issue of corruption and how it is depriving our country of its deserved development and progress.
Corruption is like a termite that is crippling our country from within. It is a political and social issue that has been plaguing our country for too long now. Corruption is the misuse of power and authority for personal gains, it is like cancer that is ravaging the very fabric of our society and threatens our democracy, justice system and economy.
Corruption is not solely limited to an individual taking a bribe, but it also includes embezzlement of money, using power to evade punishments and defying the merit system. It is a universal issue that plagues every country and damages the economy everywhere.
It makes the people lose their trust in the State and distorts the distribution of resources. Corruption hinders economic growth and creates an uneven playing field. People are robbed of their rights to resources and opportunities, especially the socially vulnerable ones.
Due to corruption, many individuals are not able to access basic amenities, education and health care facilities. The top positions are acquired by money instead of merit. Those with less or no power are left stranded and the rich turn richer. Even the judicial system fails at times in delivering justice, the perpetrators are left for a sum and democracy has to pay the price.
Corruption begins with small offences, paying a bribe to avoid a fine or buying an educational seat in the name of donation. It affects all of us and we as a society have a collective responsibility to unite and fight this battle against corruption.On an individual level, we can refrain from engaging in these offences and report any such corrupt practice that we come across.
It is our right to demand a certain level of transparency and accountability from the responsible leaders and government. The government also has a responsibility to establish strong frameworks to combat this issue and promote a culture of transparency and integrity. Thank you.