General News of 2012-08-21

Nduom raises political bar; promises full disclosure on health, taxes, etc.

The flag-bearer of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) has raised the bar on political campaigns in the country, promising an unprecedented corruption-free society should he be voted into office.

Dr. Papa Kwesi Ndoum who was addressing a news conference Tuesday, outlined personal and administrative measures he will undertake before and after he wins the 2012 elections.

He chided both ruling NDC and opposition NPP for failing to tackle corruption years of being in power which he says are so pervasive.

He mentioned judgements debts, bloated contracts and unutilized funds due to incompetence as some of the examples of corruption in the country.

Cataloging some of the measures he would put in place to check corruption, Dr. Ndoum said he would decouple the Attorney-General and the Ministry of Justice “to remove partisan politics from deciding whether to prosecute anyone for alleged offenses against the state and the people of Ghana.”

He said he would amend the constitution to allow for the election of district assembly members and district, municipal and metropolitan chief executives “to ensure local accountability and rapid development in one term of office.”

“The NDC’s proposal to nominate five people to stand these positions is an insult to the intelligence of the Ghanaian people,” he said, asking, “What is the point of a rigged election? They want to preserve control over local budget”.

He also wants the constitutional provision allowing Members of Parliament to be appointed as ministers of state “because ministers of state should be the most competent Ghanaians available for the jobs required; Members of Parliament should be dedicated solely to their task as representatives of their constituencies in parliament.

The PPP flag bearer argued that his proposed constitutional amendment would reduce the number of “ineffective career politicians in executive government and make available a large pool of qualified, experienced Ghanaian talents whose expertise currently unused and therefore lost to Ghana.”

The PPP flag bearer also maintained that the PPP would take some actions which would determine their commitment to a corruption-free government. Dr. Nduom stated he would make available his income tax returns from the Internal Revenue Service when he formally files his nomination papers as a presidential candidate in the December polls.

He also said he would make available the Auditor General’s Assets Reports he filed as Minister of State and Member of Parliament, as well as release the results of a comprehensive medical examination he will undergo at a health facility approved by the Ministry of Health.

He also said the PPP National Treasurer would ensure PPP's compliance with the Political Parties Law by releasing their Financial Report that would disclose their source of funding.

He admonished Ghanaians not to vote for a political party that does not disclose their source of funding.