You are here: HomeOpinionsArticles2020 12 15Article 1133831

Opinions of Tuesday, 15 December 2020

Columnist: Rockson Adofo

President Nana Akufo-Addo woefully failed to fight 'official corruption'?

The President did his best, he was failed by institutions entrusted to fight corruption The President did his best, he was failed by institutions entrusted to fight corruption

Fellow Ghanaians reading this publication, what is your take on the public perception that His Excellency the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, failed miserably in his much-hyped determination to strangle the bull called corruption, to rid Ghana of its foul stench and ugly head? Was he indeed honest and serious about fighting to exterminate official corruption, the bane of Ghana's economic emancipation and prosperity, from Ghana? And, if yes, had he succeeded?

Much as I have extended invitations to you as individuals to share your views, why not I, in much the same way, share mine?

The President, in my observations, did not only have good intentions to fight official corruption but also, ensured that structures and policies were erected and implemented to achieve his intended objective. He was very much aware that good intentions alone will not bring about the world peace unless they are backed by practicalities. This is the reason why he made sure the Office of Special Prosecutor was created.

Again, there were a number of occasions when he referred publicly alleged corrupt officials to the Investigation Institutions as soon as his attention was drawn to such malfeasances. He referred such cases to the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO), the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), and the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).

If he was not serious to fighting official corruption, why did he bother himself to direct the mentioned institutions to investigate such allegations? If he failed to jail any perceived or reported corrupt official, he as a person, must not be totally blamed but the mentioned institutions and the obviously corrupt justice system in operation in Ghana. More often than not, cases brought before the courts are incessantly delayed through unnecessarily unjustified adjournments. Look at the case of Dr Opuni of Cocoa Board (Cocobod).

Again, look at how the Special Prosecutor, Hon Martin Amidu, a person that many Ghanaians trusted to do a good job of investigating and prosecuting corrupt officials, ended up to be the biggest crook and saboteur against fighting official corruption. No wonder that the President could not make any onslaught on official corruption. He was unknowingly hindered from achieving his objective by the diabolical activities secretly executed by people like Martin Amidu who was harbouring political ambitions hence was very likely in liaison with the very corrupt officials that he was meant to investigate and arraign.

The President did his best, but was failed by the very institutions that were entrusted with the duties of investigating and prosecuting reported corrupt officials.

We may assume that his best to fighting corruption was not good enough. He should have fired Martin Amidu when he repeatedly kept rejecting buildings procured for his office at his own request and insistence, an indication of deliberate attempts not to prosecute anyone, some people say. However, how could he have sacked him without incurring the public indignation and accusations of being corrupt himself, or shielding corrupt officials hence sacking the Special Prosecutor, a known man of integrity hence earning the nickname "Citizen Vigilante"? He was not a Citizen Vigilante inside but outside. Deep down his heart, Martin Amidu for his political ambition, was fighting against the fight against official corruption. All his public efforts made to fight corruption were mere outward show; deceits of course.

Would the President not have been accused of dictatorship if he had acted in any undemocratic manner to getting suspected corrupt officials investigated, prosecuted and jailed?

The wish of the Ghanaian masses including myself, was for the President to go that extra mile to get the known and suspected officials jailed by any means possible. Nevertheless, the President could not do that but to continue to trust the relevant institutions to do it. The institutions, especially the Office of Special Prosecutor, failed him miserably.

Was the Attorney General up to speed in helping the President fight official corruption? This is another topic for discussion in another day.

In the President's second term in office, I expect him to prove his critics wrong by getting honest people in place to actually fight official corruption. Were the double-salary-taking Members of Parliament pardoned by the President? If yes, what was the reason assigned for that action? They have now become vampires baying for the blood of the President. Oh, had I known is always at last! No more sympathy for anyone, please, Mr President.

I am tired and feeling sleepy. I will end here. I am waiting for your views. Nonetheless, we are all in the fight against official corruption in Ghana together. The President alone cannot do it without our support.