Govt Will Investigate & Punish Allegations of Corruption -JAK

...My Gov't is the best we've had since independence
President Kufuor has reaffirmed his commitment to investigate and punish allegations of corruption against any public official once such allegations have been substantiated. He was reacting to the recent corruption survey report released by the International Anti-Corruption body, Transparency International (READ).

The survey showed that Ghana has dropped 20 places down the table compared to last year’s results. The result suggests that corruption has worsened almost three years into the NPP administration and casts a slur on the party’s declaration of zero tolerance for corruption. In an exclusive interview with JOY FM, President Kufuor disagreed with the assertion that corruption has worsened.

He told JOY FM’s Akwasi Sarpong that although, the results are damning, there is still hope. “I have heard these reports and it does not make happy reading, but I assure you, I believe even as at now, given whatever might be the real corruption in the system, it is not worse than the times immediately preceding our coming to office”.

President Kufuor is optimistic that his Ministers and other functionaries, aware of his resolve to fight corruption, are being careful of their actions. He reiterated his call on members of the public with information on corruption to report to the appropriate authorities since the Executive alone cannot fight the canker.

“The Executive is not all knowing and all seeing. All I’m saying is that exposure of corruption is not the function of any specific quarter within the society. Anybody at all may come face to face with corruption and I’m saying that whoever knows the facts and is convinced that wrong is being done should gather the courage to report to the appropriate authorities”.

Despite the criticisms and controversy that the report has generated, President Kufuor still believes that his government is the best that the country has ever had. “I’m concerned, or even more concerned than the people who are shedding crocodile tears … We all saw what they did but I’m assuring you that this is a far better government for this country, the best we’ve had, perhaps since independence”, he added.