You are here: HomeOpinionsArticles2003 04 01Article 34781

Opinions of Tuesday, 1 April 2003

Columnist: Danso, Kwaku A.

POLICE Extortion In Kosovo ! What's going on?

I don?t know if anybody has seen and been following these kind of news or not. I just read this for the 2nd time and am concerned that something dirty is going on and somebody trying to sweep something under the rug, whiles the President and his office seem at a loss as to what to do. At least the Attorney General?s office has some responsibility to investigate if any crimes have been committed. Extortion is a crime, the last time I checked, even in Ghana. We have heard of such corruption long ago, but the fact that it was going on before 2000 under another government or not, does not make any difference.

I think anybody close to the NPP should forward it to their attention to do something quick about this before the news spills out into the international community. If nothing is done, it will not be a good sign for our new administration, especially the office of President Kufuor, with an avowed Zero tolerance for Corruption.

Our Akan proverb says the leaves of the palm tree (papa) do not make noise (pr3d3) out of nothing. The job of the Presidency is not easy, and we should not expect the President?s office to investigate any neighborhood fights or rumors. However, whether this news is true or not, it involved high government officials, one or two Ministries, and agencies of the Law. Mr. President, you just can't pretend like his is trivial!

It is therefore the duty of the President?s office to appoint an independent commission to investigate it and do it quickly. Any long drawn out investigation becomes a cash cow for lawyers, especially in Western nations like the US. Ghana does not have the luxury of a two or three year investigation, but we have a national integrity to protect as a growing nation and democracy. The quicker we investigate the better for all. I know the job is not easy, but such scandal cannot be swept under the rug easily. To allow the same Ministry accused to investigate itself, and President Kufuor pretend like this is not his concern does not speak well.

My opinion for the day.