Mills Under Pressure as Corruption Charges Surface

President John Atta Mills is under pressure over corruption charges against one of his newly-appointed ministers. Mills has promised to keep his government free from corruption and other power abuses.

The newly-appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni, has been indicted in an audit report for making unapproved payments. The issue, which he challenged in court, came up during his vetting hearings, prompting the opposition to walk out when the government side refused to explore the accusations. He was approved by a parliamentary vote, and the charges are still pending in court.

Just a few days after the approval, the High Court ruled against Mumuni, saying that he was subject to further questioning on the charges.

The issue now for President Mills is to honor his campaign promise and fire him straight away or ask him to resign. The minister has indicated that he will appeal against he ruling.

Any outcome will be an embarrassment for the new government, and President Mills in particular.