Accra, Oct. 22, GNA - Mr Prince Bugnaba Mba, President of Forum for

Equity, a civil society organisation, has called on the government to focus the accountability and transparency lens on civil and public servants rather than concentrating on political opponents. "Governments since the return to political democratic rule in 1992 concentrated on only political opponents in the implementation of accountability and transparency in governance, while some civil and public servants have taken advantage of the situation to loot the State coffers with impunity."

Mr Mba who was speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra said it is unacceptable for public sector workers to loot the State.

He said although most politicians have been involved in financial mismanagements over the years, there are public and civil servants who are worse than them and should therefore be punished for their misdeeds.

He asked how a messenger in a public office, whose monthly salary is below GH¢200.00 could build two mansions in Accra after only three years of employment?

Mr Mba alleged that the revenue generation organisations are the worst of in feathering their own nests at the expense of government. He called for the empowerment of Ghana Audit Service, National security agencies to stem what he termed "the financial bleeding of the country", and to punish offenders to serve as a deterrent to others in the society.

Mr Mba called on the government to offer the Judiciary, a congenial environment to operate independently so that people engaged in such fraudulent practices could be punished.

"State funds are our commonwealth and it is not fair for public and civil servants, who have access to it to abuse their power by misusing it for their selfish and parochial interests."