I can help Akufo-Addo uproot graft - Paul Collins

Anti-corruption campaigner Paul Collins Appiah-Ofori has expressed interest in heading an anti-corruption unit within the Akufo-Addo government if such a body is set up by the president to curb corrupt practices.

According to the former Member of Parliament for Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa, he would not lobby for any position in government but his desire is to see an end to corruption so that funds made available to government to execute programmes and policies will benefit the ordinary Ghanaian.

Mr Appiah-Ofori warned the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government to take the fight against corruption seriously if it does not want to fail like the Mahama administration.

“I’m not going to lobby [for any position] but if Nana Akufo-Addo thinks I can do something and he calls me, I will respond. But I won’t lobby for anything. What I’m interested in is curbing corrupt practices because John Mahama’s administration failed because John was not able to curb corrupt practices. So, if Nana Akufo-Addo also fails to curb corrupt practices, he too will fail. So at any time I’m invited to help in blocking loopholes in the systems so that corrupt practices will be minimised and uprooted, I will be prepared to respond,” he told Moro Awudu on the Executive Breakfast Show (EBS) on Class91.3FM on Wednesday, 18 January.

“If I’m called to play a role in the government, I will ask him (Akufo-Addo) to set up an anti-corruption institute or outfit (sic) so that the outfit will monitor ministries, departments and agencies to make sure that funds made available to the public service for the execution of services for the benefit of the country do not end up in people’s pockets. Unless Nana Akufo-Addo prevents looting and sharing, this government, too, will fail the same way the Atta-Mills-John Mahama government failed. So, I will urge him to ensure that we block holes in the system so that the funds available will be used for the benefit of the people of Ghana and not NPP people, not NDC people, but all the people of Ghana,” he added.

Asked if he would like to head this anti-corruption institute, the former lawmaker said: “Yes I will. If he sets up this institute and puts me there as head, I’ll do that because my desire is to curb corrupt practices so that funds are made available to the president to execute his programmes and activities that will make life worth living for the people of this country.”