Mahama & Akufo-Addo Must Declare Assets Now!

Corruption Challenge: Mahama & Akufo-Addo Must Declare Assets Now!

The Progressive People’s Party (PPP) has thrown an important challenge

to the aspiring Presidential Candidates for the 2012 election. The

PPP has dedicated itself to a cause that is a crucial pre-requisite

for lasting peace and prosperity – a crusade against corruption and an

undying commitment to fundamental change in Ghana. This is not

politics as usual. The PPP is asking our leaders – politicians,

businessmen and women, lawyers, MPs, Ministers of State, senior

journalists and others to make a personal commitment to the principle

of incorruptible leadership in a very practical sense.

Specifically, the PPP has thrown a challenge to all Presidential

Candidates to make a firm commitment to the principle of incorruptible

leadership. Incorruptible leadership is practical leadership that

cannot be perverted, bribed, or corrupted. It is honest and just. It

is this incorruptible integrity the party is referring to. Those who

respond to the challenge are serious. And those who refuse are the

ones playing political games with the future of our people.

We know that all manner of people, particularly propagandists and

beneficiaries of state-sponsored corruption have taken us on. But we

will not be deterred. Indeed, we welcome the insults, the abuse from

those who want the nation to remain in the rot, the corruption so that

their selfish interests can be met. We will not be part of blame game

of who has done what and who is worse than the other. We are humans

and as such we may have made mistakes. But we are not afraid to

commit ourselves to a higher principle and the truth about what is

killing our people.

Our Presidential Candidate, Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom has demonstrated his

commitment to the principle of incorruptible leadership by making the

following promises:

1. He will ask the Internal Revenue Service to provide him with

certified true copies of his income tax returns so that he can release

them to the public soon as he files nominations papers to officially

become a candidate for the 2012 presidential election.

2. He will ask the Auditor-General to provide him with certified true

copies of the assets report that he filed as a Minister of State and

Member of Parliament and release them to the public as soon as he

files nomination papers to officially become a candidate for the 2012

presidential election.

3. The PPP National Treasurer will release to the public our financial

report that includes the sources of funding for our national campaign

and certify our compliance with the Political Parties Law as soon as

he files nominations papers to officially become a candidate for the

2012 election.

We simply cannot trust and should never vote for any political party

in Ghana that does not disclose the sources of its funding. We all

need to know if people, foreign or local will be looking for inflated

contracts or judgment debts to pay back the funds they used to finance

a political campaign.

So the challenge is on. Some propagandists and apologists of

presidential aspirants are all over the airwaves claiming that this is

what is done already and it is the law. If so, let the presidential

aspirants come and disclose and make the relevant documents public so

the people can be the judges of their actions. It is not enough for

people to sit at radio, television studios and at home to claim that

they are not corrupt or there is nothing new in what the PPP is asking

our presidential aspirants to do.

For the avoidance of doubt, we emphasize the point that our current

government systems and culture enable corruption to fester. The

Jewish Torah sermonizes that "…he who leaves the pantry door open for

the mouse to steal the cheese is the one responsible and accountable

for the theft." If the system is bad, it is the responsibility of the

leaders to fix it and not just throw their hands in the air and blame

their subordinates.

This is the true character of the PPP – respect, discipline, positive

energy and committed to incorruptible leadership. In our short period

of existence, the PPP has sworn to work with great discipline and show

respect to all Ghanaians including our political opponents. PPP’s

colours are red and white. The white colour stands for discipline,

purity and incorruptible leadership and red means determination,

assertiveness and strength of character. Our symbol, the bright red

sun means life, hope and being wide Awake! We are ready to work in the

supreme interest of our nation, Ghana.

Kofi Asamoah-Siaw

National Secretary, PP

12 October 2012