2017 Corruption Report: ‘Akufo-Addo should bow his head in shame’ - NDC

The Opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has told XYZ News it is not surprising that the country has performed poorly in the latest corruption perception index (CPI).

The 2017 report released by anti-graft body, Ghana Integrity Initiative, a subsidiary of Transparency International revealed that Ghana dropped 11 places Corruption Perception Index (CPI) with a low score of 40% and ranked 81st of the 180 countries surveyed during the period of the survey.

Announcing the results at the launch of the 2017 Index in Accra on Wednesday, the Executive Director of Ghana Integrity Initiative, a local chapter of Transparency International, Linda Ofori Kwarfo said: “the 2017 CPI scored Ghana 40% out of a possible claim score of 100, adding “the index shows that Ghana’s performance has dropped by 3 points from its 2016 score of 43. . . This score is the lowest in Ghana’s CPI score since the year 2102.”

Commenting on the worse results since 2012, the National Organiser for NDC, Kofi Adams said the government has deceived Ghanaians regarding corruption fight and those in authority must bow their heads in shame.

“All along we knew the New Patriotic Party that was presenting itself as a party that can fight corruption to the highest point is deceiving the people of this country. . .our ranking in the world has become the worse among a lot of well performing African countries like Senegal, Mauritius and what have you,” said Mr Adams.

To him the commitment of president Akufo-Addo towards the fight of corruption has not been impressive yet he touts himself as one who is tackling the canker in the country

“This president has never investigated any act of corruption. Either they are unaware or they clear the person. From BOST through the Pre-mix, to the Kenbond issue and all that,” he argued adding that the government’s numerous clearing of his officials cited for corrupt activities is the reason behind the latest corruption perception report.

Corruption Allegations Against Gov’t Officials

At least, the Akufo-Addo administration has battled five allegations of corruption among some of its top officials. Notable among them are two deputy chiefs of Staff, Francis Asenso Boakye and Samuel Jinapor, The Finance minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, Trade Minister Alan Kyeremateng and the Managing Director (MD) of Bulk Oil Storage and Transport (BOST), Alfred Obeng, over the contaminated fuel sale scandal.

The committees tasked to investigate the allegations of corruption against the president’s appointees exonerated them of wrong doings.

In the Cash-for-seat saga for instance, when Trade and Industry minister Alan Kyeremateng was accused of extorting monies from expatriate business persons to sit close to the president at an award programme, a bi-partisan committee that was set up by Parliament stated in their findings the minister did no wrong.

In the case of corrupt allegations or a conflict of interest against the Finance Minister, Ken ofori-Atta in the issuing of a $2.25 billion bond, the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) cleared him on the conflict of interest claims.

But Kofi Adams believes the said exonerations were well calculated to put the government in good light at all cost despite the evidence Ghanaians had in their hands.

“The president tells us that none of his appointees is corrupt [but] there is a difference between you telling and we knowing the reality. You can tell, you can say that none is corrupt but is that the reality? That is why the CPI is telling you that it is not the fact. The fact is that Ghana today has become more corrupt than it was in 2016,” he told XYZ News’ Hawa Iddrisu in an interview.

Martin Amidu’s Appointment Shows NPP’s Commitment To Graft Fight

But reacting to the report, the deputy General Secretary of the NPP, Lawyer Nana Obiri Boahen, observed that the government is committed to fighting the canker than any other government had done in the past.

Though the NPP, he revealed, is not comfortable with the latest CPI index, he said plans are in place to fiercely combat corruption “which has won the admiration of former president Jerry John Rawlings.”

“We don’t feel comfortable at all. Just the mere appointment of Martin Amidu as a Special Prosecutor [means] we’ve chopped some successes…The government is doing everything. Someone who is a member of an opposition party has been appointed by the ruling party to be the Special Prosecutor. The appointment has won the admiration of a lot of peopl e including some Bishops. Government will deliver,” he added.