Every day we wake up to the news of one problem or the other in the world. Sometimes it feels like life is all about challenges wars, hunger, poverty, crime, unemployment, and so on. These issues affect us differently depending on where we live, but the truth is that we all face them in one way or another. If I had the chance to eliminate one global issue, without a second thought I would choose corruption. To me, corruption is the root of many problems we face today, and without it, the world would be a far better place.
[source](https://pixabay.com/photos/handcuffs-money-corruption-economy-2070580/)
Corruption is everywhere politics, business, education, even in our everyday lives. It simply means using power, position, or resources for selfish gain at the expense of others. When people are corrupt, they stop thinking about the greater good and only care about themselves. This selfishness opens the door to lies, stealing, and many other evil practices. If corruption did not exist, leaders would govern with honesty, businesses would be fair, and citizens would live with more trust and honesty.
One of the biggest impacts of corruption is on poverty and development. In many countries, especially developing ones, money meant for building schools, hospitals, and roads ends up in the pockets of corrupt officials. Ordinary people suffer while a few live in luxury. I experienced this recently on a Tuesday when I was traveling to a nearby town. I noticed that the road they just constructed last year had already started breaking down. My driver and I began to talk about it, that this happened when people share the project money into four parts, use only one for the road, and pocket the rest, how will the road last? That is exactly what corruption does. Instead of quality work, people are left with half-done projects that don’t stand the test of time.
[source](https://pixabay.com/photos/crops-dawn-road-path-farm-fences-1835847/)
Corruption also destroys justice. Too often, the poor suffer while the rich walk free. One example that I heard about is a guy that steals a yam because he is hungry because of that he was thrown into jail for that small crime. But another person who steal billions of public money will still go scot-free because of his power or connections. This kind of injustice makes people lose faith in the system. A world without corruption would mean fairness and accountability, where everyone is treated equally under the law.
Even wars and insecurity are often fueled by corruption. Leaders may sponsor conflicts to hold on to power or profit from weapons, while ordinary citizens pay the price with their lives. If corruption was not present, peace efforts would be genuine, and resources would go into creating stability instead of chaos.
The truth is, corruption has eaten deep into our world. It may look impossible to remove it completely, but if given the power to erase just one global issue, I believe tackling corruption first would open the door to solving many others. Without corruption, we can reduce poverty, improve education, strengthen justice, and build trust among people. The world may not be perfect, but it will surely be better.
I believe every problem in the world has a root cause, and for me, corruption is one of the strongest. So if I ever get that one chance to wipe away a global issue, corruption is the one I will gladly choose.
Posted Using INLEO