Akufo Addo is committed to ending corruption - Enam Hadzide

The Deputy Minister of Information, Pius Enam Hadzide, has reiterated that the Akufo Addo led government is committed to ensuring the country’s laws on corruption are applicable to all citizens irrespective of their political lineage.

According to him, that is the surest way of fighting the canker in Ghana.

The Nana Addo administration has not been without scandals since assuming office, with several cases of alleged corruption being levelled against some of his appointees.

Mr. Hadzide the government has increased resources to anti-graft agencies to improve their efficiency, cut out waste and eliminate opportunities for corrupt practices.

Equality before the law means exactly that so if you are a president who misconducts yourself, the law should be able to deal with you. In the same way, if you are a businessman who misconducts himself, the law should be able to deal with you. The President is committed to stopping corruption by the end of his tenure,”Pius Enam Hadzide told Kwame Tutu on Anopa Nkomo on Accra based Kingdom FM 107.7.

“As a government, we remain committed to making corruption unattractive on a sustainable basis. This calls for collaboration and strengthening of institutions mandated by the Constitution and other laws of the country to protect the public purse. We are doing more beyond the use of technology to build systems and institutions in the fight against corruption,” he said.

However, he said, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo gave the security agencies a directive to investigate any official within his administration who will be accused of corruption.

Although there have been several allegations of corruption against some of his appointees, none of them have been prosecuted as they have through various committees been cleared of any wrongdoing.

Investigations by freelance investigative journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni, has revealed that Talent Discovery Limited, a company incorporated in June 2017, has won a number of government contracts through restrictive tendering.

Manasseh Azure Awuni has also confirmed that the company was engaged in selling contracts. Undercover encounters with the General Manager of the Company, Thomas Amoah, revealed that the company was selling a ¢22.3 million road contract to K-Drah Enterprise, a fake company Manasseh used for the investigation.

The expose fingered A.B. Adjei, CEO of Public Procurement Authority (PPA) in procurement infractions

In 2018, the Eastern Regional Director of the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO), Fred Dzeny, urged the government to take steps to prosecute its own appointees if it is really serious about tackling corruption.

He urged all stakeholders to join the Government to fight corruption, pointing out that the negative effects of corruption affect everybody, irrespective of one’s status or position in society.