2017 Auditor General's report will show level of corruption in gov't - Ace Ankomah

Legal practitioner and member of pressure group OccupyGhana, Ace Anan Ankomah, has expressed confidence in the ability of the office of the Auditor General to through its annual report expose the rots in the NPP administration.

It is for him, the only way their previous projection of a 'worse corrupted country' under an 'elephant-sized' NPP administration can be proved.

Occupy Ghana was one of several groups who fought against the huge size of President Akufo-Addo's cabinet arguing that the size is just another means of increasing the canker of corruption which already persists in the country.

In a statement released in March 2017, the group stated:

“The problems that beset this nation are known to all. Paramount among them is the issue of corruption. In creating such a huge bureaucracy, have we not increased the chances of corrupt officials plundering the little that we have left as a nation? In his inaugural address, the President promised to protect the national purse. The appointment of 110 ministers who, in comparison to the average Ghanaian, will be earning a considerable amount of money in salaries, allowances and benefits over the next 4 years (in addition to enjoying a range of ex-gratia benefits when they leave office) does not sound to us like a diligent attempt to protect a sorely-depleted purse.”

A year on, Ace Ankomah is positive that they will be vindicated if the reports of the Auditor General is released and the illegal activities of some government officials exposed.

In an interaction with host of ’21 minutes with KKB’, Kwabena Kyenkyenhene Boateng the Lawyer said, “The next Auditor report will be released by the Auditor General in 2017. Who was in power in 2017? So if there are similar issues under the NPP what will happen? It will come out.”

Corruption among government officials has been one of the major issues that derails the development of a nation. Some public officials loot and share funds meant for developmental projects to the detriment of citizens.

The opposition NDC, after handing over power, received many backlashes from the Akufo-Addo-led government for misusing the nation’s coffers.

However, the anti-corruption activist said the 2017 report by the office of the Auditor General will disclose possible dishonest activities of ‘blameless’ NPP officials.

In an answer to whether the current administration is corrupt, Ace said, “Well, the best test is when we begin to see what the Audiitor General says. For us that will be the test. I do not proceed on the basis of perceptions. I always prefer evidence.”