.... corruption-infested appointees.

Ghana which was once the ‘darling boy’ on the African Continent in terms of socio-economic and politico development has now become a pale shadow of herself in the world.

In 2014, Ghana’s media reported on several corruption cases, most of which had to do with embezzlement of taxpayers’ funds.

Here are some of the top corruption cases recorded in 2014. Bear in mind that the exposure of some of them began in previous years, but prosecution is still on-going as the Attorney General drags its feet to properly prosecute these high-profile corrupt cases.

ALFRED WOYOME’S GHC 51.2 MILLION SAGA

Alfred Agbeshie Woyome, a businessman, stood accused of defrauding the State of GH¢51.2million in the Waterville judgement. On July 29, 2014, The Supreme Court unanimously ordered Woyome to refund GH¢51.2 million to the State in a civil case filed by former Attorney General Martin Amidu.

Again, an Accra High court presided over by Justice Ajet-Nasam, ordered the lawyers of both sides, the State and Woyome, to file their addresses by the end of January 2015, before it makes its ruling on March 12, 2015.I commend the Judiciary for upholding the Rule of Law and directing the accused to refund to the State the taxpayers’ money which was wrongfully given to him. If the payment of this Ghc 51.2 million is wrong by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice then, Betty Mould Iddrisu and her Deputy Mr Baton Oduro,who is now the 1st Deputy Speaker of Parliament, why has President Mahama failed to prosecute the duo?

I sincerely think if the President was a taxpayer, he will feel how difficult it is to pay tax and would not shelve these alleged corrupt officials to go scot free.
We are worried that the State has not shown any commitment whatsoever to retrieve the taxpayers’ money from Mr Woyome.
President Mahama would do the taxpayers of Ghana a lot of good if this naked corruption under his watch is reversed so we recover this money.
GHANA IS 61ST IN CORRUPTION OUT OF 175 COUNTRIES
In a report released by Transparency International, Ghana scored 48 points to place 61st out of 175 countries in the 2014 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI).

The CPI is the leading global indicator of public sector corruption, offering a yearly snapshot of the relative degree of corruption by ranking countries from all over the globe.

This does not mean that corruption is not a serious problem in Ghana because, like two-thirds of the rest of the 175 countries/territories ranked by their perceived levels of public sector corruption, Ghana scored below 50, on a scale of 0 (perceived to be highly corrupt) to 100 (perceived to be very clean). This is especially so as not much appears to be done with regards to the high profile alleged corruption cases, from judgment debts to the sale of public assets, the GYEEDA and SADA sagas, scoring below 50 only serves as another reminder that we have not marshalled enough resolve in tackling corruption.

CORRUPTION DEEPLY ROOTED AT PRESIDENT MAHAMA’S OFFICE

In 2014, the Office of H.E.John Dramani the President was ranked as the second most corrupt institution in Ghana.

This was revealed in a Socio-economic and Governance survey conducted by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA).

The survey was conducted in all the ten regions of Ghana with persons aged 18 years and above as the target population.

The IEA noted that one of the most pressing governance challenges confronting the country is the high prevalence of bribery and corruption.
The Office of the President recently came under intense criticism after its own report to Parliament revealed that the Presidency overspent its budget by 100% in 2014 which it could not justify why the taxpayers’ money is always been misused by President Mahama and his appointees.
Parliament approved a ceiling of GHC30, 929,343 but according to the 2014 report from the Finance Committee of Parliament, the Presidency spent GHC75, 917,714 between January and September 2014 only.
President Mahama should be told that the taxpayers’ money should be used for the benefit of the taxpayer and not few greedy and selfish politicians who find themselves in power.
The Ghanaian taxpayer has been on countless occasions been ’’ raped’’ by President Mahama and some of his greedy appointees.
His office has become a chimney where the Ghanaian taxpayers’ money is superbly wasted.

GYEEDA CORRUPTION CASE

In the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency (GYEEDA) corruption case, former GYEEDA boss, Abuga Pele, was said to have paid in 2013 over $2 million to a local consultant who could not provide proof of work done; neither could investigators trace them.

In 2014, 19 criminal charges were filed against the former National Coordinator of GYEEDA, (previously known as the National Youth Employment Programme), Abuga Pele, and the CEO of Goodwill International Group (GIG), Philip Akpene Assibit.

The first suspect, Philip Assibit, was hit with eleven charges. The charges included defrauding by deception, dishonesty and causing financial loss to public property. All eleven charges were linked to large amounts of money.
The second suspect, Abuga Pele, was hit with eight charges. His charges included purposely misusing State resources by approving payments to Goodwill International Group, along with deliberately causing financial loss to the State.
On this case, the state has not shown any interest and the commitment to impartially prosecute this canker that engulfed his government and all to the disadvantage of the Ghanaian taxpayer.
NATIONAL SERVICE SCHEME ‘GHOSTS PERSONS’
Documents and investigations revealed that from September 2013 to July 2014, an amount of GH¢7.9 million was paid to 22,612 non-existent or “ghost” National Service personnel monthly. This means that annually, about GH¢94,970,400 in undeserved allowances were paid by the State.

These ghost names were generated at the National Service Scheme (NSS) headquarters under the supervision of its former boss, Alhaji Imoro Alhassan.

Prosecution said an overall amount of GH¢86.9million was received by Alhaji Imoro from the 10 Regional Directors.

The Scheme’s former Director, Alhaji Imoro Alhassan, allegedly attempted to offer a GH¢200,000 bribe to security officials investigating the widespread corruption at the National Service Scheme.

Ahaji Alhassan reportedly paid GH¢100,000 in his attempt to silence investigators of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) to conceal a GH¢7.9 million financial fraud at the Scheme.

BRAZIL 2014 WORLD CUP FIASCO
Some government officials and individuals were alleged to have embezzled vast amounts of taxpayers’ money at the Brazil 2014 World Cup. Justice Senyo Dzamefe was tasked to head a Commission of Enquiry to examine the furore and international embarrassment resulting from our participation in that event.
According to the Ghana Ministry of Youth and Sports, it raised GH¢4,509,635 from corporate entities and individuals to send supporters to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

Ghana Football Association says it expended GH¢4,483,262 on things like air tickets, accommodation and feeding of supporters, and appearance fees/sitting allowances for officials of the World Cup planning committee, among a host of other questionable activities.

The government later chartered a plane laden with over $3m in cash from Accra to Brazil to give to players as bonuses, with each player reportedly being paid $100,000 each.

The Commission’s report is mind boggling that, individuals and groups that have received misused the taxpayers’ money for no work done should only refund it or be surcharged. This recommendation, which accidentally has been accepted by the government of Ghana, will nurture and make corruption attractive.

President Mahama’s solution to economic development is raising and increasing taxes, which are obviously the lazy way of managing and economy.
We entreat the President, John Dramani Mahama’s administration which has demonstrated convincingly that its love for corruption is amazing and superb to repent and reorient itself as far as anticorruption policies and good governance are concerned.

I remind Mr President that if he reduces corruption by even 20%, we can realize enough money to pay all our health Professionals.
The President, has lost the credibility as far as fighting corruption is concern, with about one and a half years for him to end their eight years as a government, what the taxpayers of this noble country demand from him is for him to redeem his lost credibility in the arena of good governance and corruption.

May God strengthen the Ghanaian taxpayer to continue paying taxes and not to evade and or avoid taxes in Ghana and NOT to be motivated by President Mahama’s inefficiencies and love for corruption.

As a VANDAL from the University of Ghana one thing I have been taught by the Commonwealth Hall (Fellow VANDALS, Father Baccus and our Chiefs) is that, TRUTH STANDS.

Frank Asiedu Bekoe
Executive Director, Taxpayers’ Alliance Ghana.
Mobile: +233-246705510
Email:tpa.ghana@gmail.com