The Executive Director of Alliance for Social Equity & Accountability, Mr. Mensah Thompson has described President Akufo-Addo’s address at the just ended Ghana Bar Conference as “empty, disappointing” adding that he has missed yet “another fine opportunity to demonstrate any clear commitment towards the fight against corruption.”
In a press statement copied Awake News, Mr. Thompson has expressed total shock in the president’s clear attempt to ignore all stinking corruption scandals under his watch but quick to mention officers of the former NDC administration that are facing prosecution.
“In summary the President failed to talk about, the PPA scandal, neither did he talk about the PDS scandal nor the NYA scandal which are all fresh in the minds of the people.” – He said
“For example, the President made references to some appointees from the previous Government facing legal trial for several cases of corruption but the President could NOT boldly point out a single person under his own government facing prosecution for engaging in corruption.” – He added
Mr. Thompson has expressed much worry the president’s attempt to shift his responsibility in the fight against corruption to the judiciary.
“The President also attempted to shed off his responsibilities towards the fight against corruption unto the judiciary. Unfortunately the President forgot that he is the Commander in chief of the security agencies that investigates the corruption cases before they goes to trial.” – He added
According to him, “The President admitted that since 2017, budgetary allocations to the offices of accountability had been increased between 30-34% annually, this plus the budgetary allocations to the office of the Special Prosecutor puts more revenue into the fight against corruption but nothing to show for it.”
This is said shows clearly that “more revenue pumped into the fight against corruption, unfortunately instead of corruption levels reducing, they are rather increasing at abnormal levels.”
Read the full statement:
ALLIANCE FOR SOCIAL EQUITY & ACCOUNTABILITY-ASEPA
09-09-2019
PRESS STATEMENT
PRESIDENT’S SPEECH ON CORRUPTION VERY DISAPPOINTING, PRESIDENT TRYING TO MARK HIS OWN SCRIPT-ASEPA
We received the news of the President’s eminent address on corruption at the GBA conference with some excitement as we CSO’s exchanged notes on the key areas we wanted the President to touch on as far as corruption in his government is concerned.
One of our key expectations was that we wanted the President to go into specific cases of corruption, and tell us the specific actions his government has taken to ensure that all those found culpable are made to face the full rigors of the law.
Unfortunately the President’s address did not meet any of the criteria we had set.
The President’s address in summary was empty and disappointing and the President once again missed another fine opportunity to demonstrate any clear commitment towards the fight against corruption.
For example, the President made references to some appointees from the previous Government facing legal trial for several cases of corruption but the President could NOT boldly point out a single person under his own government facing prosecution for engaging in corruption.
We have always said that the retrospective fight against corruption is the easiest option but the a clear demonstration of commitment is when you put your own appointees to trial for corruption.
The President also attempted to shed off his responsibilities towards the fight against corruption unto the judiciary.
Unfortunately the President forgot that he is the Commander in chief of the security agencies that investigates the corruption cases before they goes to trial.
The effectiveness of the prosecution is based on the quality of work the investigative agencies does.
If investigation reports are constantly failing to put people on trial for very obvious acts of corruption, then what do you do as President?
Do you fold your arms in oblivion?
Finally the President confirmed our biggest fear in this whole corruption debacle.
Now the President has confirmed that indeed we are NOT only loosing money through corruption, we are also loosing money through the fight against corruption.
The President admitted that since 2017, budgetary allocations to the offices of accountability had been increased between 30-34% annually, this plus the budgetary allocations to the office of the Special Prosecutor puts more revenue into the fight against corruption but nothing to show for it.
The more revenue pumped into the fight against corruption, unfortunately instead of corruption levels reducing, they are rather increasing at abnormal levels.
In summary the President failed to talk about, the PPA scandal, neither did he talk about the PDS scandal nor the YEA scandal which are all fresh in the minds of the people.
So in the fight against corruption as it stands, on scale of 0-100 we shall score the President 30%.
Signed:
Mensah Thompson
Executive Director, ASEPA
0542120628
0243019131
Cc.
Office of the President
All Media Houses
By: Efo Korsi Senyo / awakenewsroom.com
