‘Leaders who steal public funds are the poorest before Allah’

Kumasi, Feb. 14, GNA – People in leadership position who enrich themselves with public funds are the poorest before Allah, Sheikh Mohammed Awal, a renowned Islamic scholar, has stated.

He said such people may be wealthy in the eyes of the public, but they mean nothing to Almighty Allah because of the dubious means through which they amassed wealth.

He said it was unacceptable for people elected into office to enrich themselves overnight at the expense of improving the lives of the masses.

Sheikh Awal said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency after leading the Jummah prayers at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology on Friday.

He said people who paid their way to power with the intention of looting state coffers were bound to fail because they lacked the blessing of both the people and God.

Sheikh Awal said it was unfortunate that leaders in most parts of Africa, instead of creating a just society and equal opportunities for the citizenry to thrive, they rather impoverish them, pretending to be working in their interest.

“What is happening today is that the masses are suffering and those elected to lead them are having a good time. But this is supposed to be a democratic system and a government by the people,” he said.

The United States based Islamic Cleric reminded leaders in Africa of the Judgement Day where they would account for their stewardship.

He underlined the need for the prudent use of resources at their disposal to provide decent livelihoods for the people by empowering them to be economically independent.

They must take deliberate steps to invest in the youth to adequately prepare them to take over the mantle of leadership, Sheikh Awal said.  

“This must be done by inculcating a high sense of patriotism in the youth to groom a new generation of potential leaders with the passion to serve the people and not the other way round.”

GNA