News:
April 30, 2021
One of the topical issues that confronts every government under the fourth Republic of Ghana is the fight against corruption, and it is mostly used during political campaigns, as was the case in the build-up to the 2016 presidential election, when then candidate Nana Akufo-Addo used corruption as a major campaign tool against the ruling government.
But the Member of Parliament for Tamale South, Haruna Iddrisu has taken a swipe at the President Nana Akufo-Addo saying; he does not have the political will to fight corruption. And questioned if it matters to the president who becomes the next Special Prosecutor, “he has lost the corruption fight?”
He further pointed out that, the president’s reputation as a person is in tatters, as observed by Professor Gyimah–Boadi of the Center for Democratic Development (CDD) and as rightly described by the former SP.
“President Nana Akufo-Addo is the mother serpent of all corruption, it does not matter to me who he appoints as SP, he is doom to fail and has failed because the president does not have the political will to fight corruption” .
Mr. Iddrisu was reacting to the news on the nomination of a new Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice.
On the former Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu, he noted that in terms of his experience and reputation, the new nominated yet to come before the Appointment Committee, does not come close to the former.
“We need men of integrity to fight corruption like Martin, because the new nominated SP would not get the cooperation he needs to fight corruption from government, look at how they shamefully sack the former Auditor General.”
He again noted that apart from investigating and covering his own appointees, the journalists in Ghana should show him any of his appointees he has hauled before the courts for corruption or a matter relating to corruption and abuse of office, “it is zero”.
“Akufo-Addo is not capable of making corruption high rate risk activity in Ghana, again our record internationally is worrying and disincentive to attract international investors into the country”.
Also public officials are not being held accountable for abuse of public office and gave an example of illegal mining. “Galamsey, you recover excavators and you are asked to return it. “Is that how to fight corruption?” He queried.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com