The youth wing of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has condemned the NPP government’s decision not to act on mere media allegations of corruption leveled against government officials, until individuals make a formal report to the security agencies. Both the Attorney General, Papa Owusu Ankomah and President Kufour have at separate functions, challenged people with credible evidence of corruption against government officials to report them to the agencies responsible, for the law to take its course.
But the NDC Youth Wing says the comments made by the government is an indication that the NPP’s much avowed zero tolerance for corruption is a mere political rhetoric to cover up for its corrupt officers.
The party is also surprised that the press has kept quiet over the President’s comments when they have in the past published articles, which led to investigations, by the government.
“It is equally unfortunate that a section of the media has towed the line of the NPP government and are praising President Kufuor for his demand that the public substantiate allegations of corruption against NPP appointees especially when allegations made by the same media against former NDC officials are promptly investigated by the NPP government without any call for evidence or substantiation”.
A press statement signed by the party’s National Youth Organiser, Haruna Iddrisu described the government’s statements as evasive and said the President has a duty to order investigations into allegations made against his officials.
“It is ridiculous and a blatant exhibition of double standards by President Kufuor for him to ask the general public and the media to substantiate allegations and provide evidence before he will take action on suspected cases of corruption by his ministers and appointees. Where in the world do members of the general public conduct investigations for the state prosecutor to send the criminals to court?”, the party queried.
The NDC Youth says “President Kufuor’s stand is hypocritical and portrays the two faces of justice and the rule of law under his administration. The rule of law is applied selectively and swiftly to former NDC officials, all in the name of so called anti-corruption drive, yet in spite of the pile of allegations against NPP functionaries, nothing is being done to suggest that they will ever be investigated, let alone bring the wrong-doers to book”.
According to the them the perception of general corruption under the Kufuor administration is real and not imagined. The statement mentioned three allegations of corruption against government officials that are yet to be investigated by the government. They are the Castle renovations contract, the purchase of mango seedlings by the Minister for Forestry, Dr Kassim Kasanga and the improper conduct by the former Minister for Education, Professor Ameyaw Ekumfi.
