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
