President committed to fight corruption - Prez Spokesman

Mr Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, Presidential Spokesman, on Wednesday dismissed views by critics that President John Agyekum Kufuor has not shown much commitment to the declaration of zero tolerance for corruption.

"Mr Kufuor's administration has taken prominent measures to sanitize public financial management systems, which is the bedrock of corruption", a statement from the Office of the Press Secretary said in Accra.

Mr Agyepong in the statement said President Kufuor's stance was evidenced in his exemplary, accessible and opened leadership coupled with pragmatic steps he had taken to enhance fair practices in public administration and office.

The statement said apart from enhancing the operational capacity of state institutions in checking corruption, Kufuor's administration has been able to put in place the repeal of the criminal libel law, the passage of the freedom of information act, Bank of Ghana Act, the establishment of a Revenue Agencies Governing board among others to serve as checks on corruption.

The statement requested critics of Kufuor's administration not to discount the benefits of the repeal of the criminal libel law has had on the economic, governance and transparent public service, which has made the media more empowered to scrutinize the use of state resources and finances in a productive way.

It also challenged corruption observers to evaluate President Kufuor's commitment in light of his honest effort at empowering and providing resource to criminal investigative bodies within the three years of NPP administration.