Akufo-Addo determined ‘to use available tools to fight corruption’

President Nana Akufo- Addo says his government, is “determined to use all available tools to fight the canker of corruption.

“We are determined to use all available tools to fight the canker of corruption, for we know how much it destroys our chances at progress and prosperity,” he added.

Speaking at the Black Star Square to mark May Day celebration Monday, the President also said, “The Office of Special Prosecutor is going to be established so that the prosecution of corruption is taken out of political controversy, and thereby enhance the integrity of the rule of law”

Touching on the ongoing deletion of ghost names on government’s pay, the president said the process will save the country GHC433 million.

“Through a payroll audit conducted by the Ministry of Finance, under the impressive leadership of Ken ofori-Atta, in the last two months, some twenty six thousand five hundred and eighty nine workers’ salaries have been suspended from the April 2017 payroll. These "workers" have not come forward to be biometrically verified by SSNIT, despite numerous calls by the Controller and Accountant General to do so.

“The idea of biometric verification is essentially to isolate ghost names from the payroll. The cost of maintaining these twenty-six thousand five hundred and eighty-nine names on government payroll is thirty-six million, one hundred and sixty-six thousand, two hundred and three Ghana cedis per month. This means that Government stands to save the country over four hundred and thirty three million Ghana cedis on this year’s budget alone by this exercise, “President Akufo-Addo added.