Ghanaians in the Diaspora Alliance Movement (GIDAM)

PRESS STATEMENT

In the midst of Ghana’s intractable problems, high levels of corruption, endemic poverty, extreme inequalities and gross injustice, Ghanaians have been shocked by the alleged wrong doing in the recent expose’ of judicial corruption, and other damaging allegations of official corruption in the governance structures of our dear country, which is negatively impacting on all law abiding citizens of our country.

As more evidence emerges of the continuing cancer of unethical behaviour by state actors in leadership positions, which is helping to degrade Ghana’s public administration systems and entrenching a crisis of ethics and morality in our country, a new non- political group of concerned Ghanaians in the diaspora, the Ghana Alliance in the Diaspora Movement (G.I.D.A.M), was launched recently in London. This movement wishes to commend Ghana’s ace investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas for a good job done and also ask that the Chief Justice of Ghana, Mrs Georgina Wood be allowed a free hand without interference from the government, the judiciary and any outside interest to undertake her investigation into this damaging judicial scandal.

Judicial corruption just like other official government corruption is very damaging to the nation building process and G.I.D.A.M appeals to the authorities to work relentlessly to get to the bottom of these allegations so Ghana’ s young democratic governance systems can be saved from the current crisis engulfing them. Where evidence of wrong doing emerges, GIDAM would expect prosecutions to follow to serve as a deterrent to future public office holders.

G.I.D.A.M is a non- political advocacy group prepared to work with all stake holders, upright and law abiding citizens to stamp out corruption, uphold the rule of law, influence policy and practice of our governments to promote the interests of the public good all the time.

G.I.D.A.M was launched on Saturday 19th September 2015 at Island House Community Centre, Roserton Street, Isle of Dogs , London E14 3PG.

The Chairperson and the invited guest speaker for the occasion were two distinguished Ghanaian women, in business and policy advocacy work, Naa TsoTso Sooyoo I, General Secretary - Ghanaians in the Diaspora Union Europe and CEO of Ten Talents Network & Lexidon Facilities, and Miss Naa Adaku Golda Addo, M&E. Communications. Knowledge Production. Recycling, Community Development, Political & Social Reform, Advocacy.

G.I.D.A.M wishes to inform all Ghanaians both at home and in the diaspora of its various programmes and activities relating to the advocacy work it wishes to pursue,

-fighting for accountability and integrity in government,

-fighting against the scourge of corruption and unethical behaviour,

- Promotion of the operation and observation of the rule of law,

-protection of fundamental human rights of all citizens of Ghana,

-promotion of good governance and democracy,

-Working for meaningful socio – economic development that will positively impact on all citizens of Ghana and not only on the lives of the few political elites.

G.I.D.A.M also invites all stakeholders, both home and abroad, political parties, senior government officials, professional bodies, civil society organizations, religious bodies to join us to fight for good governance in Ghana and re- establish the tenets of morality and ethics and to reinstate the standards expected of public services, honesty, impartiality, openness, tolerance, accountability and transparency in the governance structures of our dear country so democracy will endure for the benefit of all citizens

Any well-meaning citizens or friends of Ghana who shares our values and willing to join us or launch a new chapter in other diaspora locations should contact:

Secretary

Theo Afram – Tel: 00447758955769

or

Nana Darko - Tel: 00447958000311

Samuel Opare

Interim Chairman

Email address: info@gidam.com

Website address: www.gidam-uk.com

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