Back anti-corruption stance with action - GII urges Mahama

The Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) has urged President John Mahama to ensure that his ministers declare their assets immediately if they have not done that yet.

The anti-graft body says the declaration of assets by the ministers coupled with the President’s declaration of intolerance for corruption will be concrete evidence that the President and his appointees want to fight the canker.

President Mahama on Thursday told some newly sworn in ministers that he will not entertain any acts of corruption.

But the Executive Director of the Ghana Integrity Initiative, Vitus Azeem, said President Mahama’s words must be backed by action.

“We have heard these statements before. It is good to admonish but it has to be followed by actual action,” Vitus Azeem said.

“He [Mahama] needs to follow up this with action, our challenge to him is that he himself, his Vice President and Ministers declare their assets in the shortest possible time”.

Mr. Azeem also believes that there are enough institutions in place to assist the President to fight corruption in his government.

He however added that it won’t be out of place if the President deems it fit to set up a desk that identifies corrupt practices and deals with them.