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Opinions of Saturday, 17 October 2009

Columnist: Better Ghana Forum

Crack The Whip Mr. President

It is indeed unthinkable how swift, robust, tactful and timely H.E the President of the Republic of Ghana, Professor J. E. A. Mills acted on the Mabey and Johnson Bribery allegation even though paragraph 194 of the UK SFO Ruling clearly established that “The SFO has decided not to name certain directors, executives and employees of M&J at this stage because they may face trial in English courts. The fact of the naming of certain directors, executives and employees of M&J and any others should not be taken by this court, the public and press as determinative of guilt of any of the persons named in this opening note. In the interest of fairness to those who are under investigation no settled views concerning the culpability of individuals whether named here or not has been made.”

In this spirit of determination, we commend the President for further directing the Attorney General to immediately gather relevant information and subsequently authorizing CHRAJ to investigate the matter even though the M&J allegation did not directly involve the Ghanaian Tax Payers’ money. The President so far has practically demonstrated an ardent commitment in fighting corruption to the core during his tenure of office.

Of late, the media air waves and other sources have been inundated with serious issues of corruption which directly involve huge losses of funds to the HIPC Ghanaian Tax Payer.

BGF is by this Release challenging H.E the President to immediately Crack the Whip on all persons who have been indicted in the use/disbursement of the Proceeds from the Tema Oil Refinery Eurobond Forensic Audit report, the Inter-Ministerial Committee Review Report on the Sale of Ghana Telecom to Vodafone and also the stinking revelations on the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly NHIS Audit Report.

BGF has also noted with uttermost disgust the arrogance, complacent and unprofessional conduct of the Executive Director of National Service Secretariat which has sadly led to the immediate resignation of fourteen (14) key staff of the Secretariat. We see this scenario as an affront to the Better Ghana agenda set forth by the NDC Government and as a matter of urgency call on the President to within 48 hours Dismiss the said Director because his continuous stay in office has the potential of breeding chaos and precipitous corruption within the National Service Secretariat.

We relish so far the contributions and standards set by some civil organizations, pressure groups, parties in opposition and individuals towards the M&J allegations as we signal clearly to them also that should their stands change during the Ghana Telecom, NHIS, TOR and many others to come, we shall hasten in playing back their records for them. For he who seeks equity must come with clean hands and also what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.

The Wheels of Justice has now gathered enough Momentum and can No Longer Grind Slowly, Justice delayed is Justice Denied, CRACK THE WHIP NOW MR. PRESIDENT!

Osabutey Emmanuel (Coordinator/ Media Liaison Officer) O244879415