I'm ready to be investigated for corruption - Mahama

“Corruption is going to be high on the agenda of the government in terms of fighting it,” was the solemn pledge of President John Dramani Mahama during the launch of the NDC’s 2012 Manifesto held at the Jubilee Park in Ho, Volta Region.

The president also vowed to ensure that the country has a strong anti corruption unit in order to bring the canker down to its barest minimum at worst and gave the assurance that he will see to it that the Right to Information Bill becomes law.

Addressing teeming supporters of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Thursday, President Mahama said the NDC will continue with and expand the four thematic areas of the Better Ghana Agenda namely: “Investing In People, Transparent And Accountable Governance, Building A Strong and Resilient Economy and an Accelerated Development Of Infrastructure”.

President Mahama also spoke against the proclivity by some political parties to resort to holding press conferences and bandying about unsubstantiated allegations that do not “hold water”.

The NPP, it would be recalled, held a press conference recently alleging that President Mahama does not deserve to be voted for during the December elections because he is supervising over corruption. The opposition party again cited the president as playing an integral role in ensuring that a multi-million cedi debt owed by his brother, Ibrahim Mahama, was written off by the state.

But in what can best pass for a direct response, President Mahama admonished his fellow political leaders to be “responsible” enough and call their activists to order to stop peddling falsehoods.

He indicated his resolve to appear before any institution to be investigated for corruption and dared the NPP and other parties who are accusing him of corruption to go to the appropriate quarters to prove their claims.

“So I throw a challenge to those parties and those leaders of the political parties that are making those unsubstantiated allegations that if they truly believe that I have been involved in any corruption they should go to the appropriate institutions, make a report and I will appear there and I will defend myself,” he pledged.

“I will never accuse anybody on an unsubstantiated allegation and I hope that other political leaders will also do the same…and that they would call their followers to order when they make these unsubstantiated allegations. If you are a responsible leader, if you are a responsible political party, if you think someday has indulged in corruption there are the appropriate institutions that you can go to and have those allegations investigated and culprits punished,” President added.