Corruption index: Bow your heads in shame – Atta Mills to government

A member of the Public Accounts Committee and MP for Komenda Edina Eguafo Abrem Samuel Atta Mills says Ghana’s latest ranking on the 2019 Corruption Perception Index is an embarrassment to the Akufo-Addo government.

Ghana ranked 80 out of 180 countries and territories included in the 2019 Corruption Perception Index.

The Index put together by Transparency International ranks countries annually by their perceived levels of corruption, as determined by expert assessments and opinion surveys.

Ghana performed better than 37 other Sub-Saharan African countries including Burkina Faso 40, Lesotho 40, Ethiopia 37, Gambia 37, Tanzania 37.

In 2019, while Ghana performed better than Burkina Faso and Lesotho, Ghana could not catch up with countries like South Africa, Senegal, São Tomé and Príncipe, etc. that scored better than Ghana in 2018.

More than two-thirds of countries scored below 50, with the global average score of 43. Since 2012, only 22 countries have significantly improved their scores, including Estonia, Greece and Guyana. On the other hand, 21 countries have significantly declined since 2012 including Australia, Canada and Nicaragua.

Ghana scored 41 out of a possible clean score of 100 in the CPI 2019 and ranked 80 out of 180 countries/territories included in this year’s index. This year’s score of 41 shows that Ghana’s score remained the same compared to its CPI 2018 score (41).

Speaking on the Morning Starr Thursday, Mr Atta Mills said Ghanaians now have an opportunity to compare the NDC with the governance of the NPP.

“It’s an indictment on the government and they should bow their heads in shame. Corruption is about perception and this government gave so many promises but what are they delivering. They said they were better than Mahama and thank God Ghanaians have seen them for who they truly are.

“This government has disappointed us. If something is going on between you and government, you won’t feel comfortable going to the court because they won’t rule in your favour. That is the perception of the people,” he said.