Accra, Ghana//- In 2016, when UK-organised anti-corruption summit commended President John Mahama’s efforts in the fight against corruption, many of us wondered what inspired that commendation knowing what’s prevailing in Ghana.
He never admitted that he and his appointees were corrupt. No President ever did that. The closest is John Kufuor reminding us of how long corruption has been with us and how rife it’s in Europe and Asia after promising Zero Tolerance for Corruption and failing brutally.
When John Mahama returned home from UK, he challenged all of us to bring up corruption issues we’ve against his administration.
OccupyGhana quickly raised the bus branding scandal. The Transport Minister lost her job, investigations were conducted and monies retrieved.
Under John Mahama, government commenced the prosecution of its own members like Abuga Pele, etc. in the GYEEDA case. Many believed the whales in the case broke the net to freedom, but, at least, we saw conspicuous efforts however unsatisfactory.
Our standards were so high. Victoria Hamah, Deputy Communications Minister had to resign for sharing her financial aspirations in politics and not necessarily because she stole any money or was caught in any corruption scandal.
So, I don’t know why President Akufo-Addo and the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) that promised us EXCELLENCE calling John Mahama’s effort mediocre expect Ghanaians to be happy about the prevailing mess we’re seeing in his administration.
The President and his men are making John Mahama look too good. Otherwise, knowing what we know, there’s no way the National Democratic Congress (NDC) should’ve felt confident to talk about corruption today.
Had Mr Akufo-Addo delivered what he promised against corruption, how could those involved in the Brazil 2014 case raise their voices against corruption in public? How could those behind the SADA, SUBAH and other major scandals from 2009 to 2016 be this bold?
This administration is doing worse of what they condemned and the President is giving citizens every reason to believe what Martin Amidu, the former Special Prosecutor said that he’s the Mother Serpent under the corruption flower in Government.
Talking about how corruption accusations against his people have been remedied, could any official of this government tell Ghanaians how the National Youth Authority (NYA) traffic light repairs scandal was remedied beyond sacking those easy to sacrifice Chief Executive and his Deputies? Was the monies involved retrieved for us? Was anybody prosecuted?
We saw in a video that went viral about how Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) gave a scandalous procurement deal to its own Board Member in his first term.
His own party member who revealed that he followed him during the 2016 campaigns was so scandalized he even stammered in his submission to reporters. What did the President and his Government do about that case?
An Assembly member of Sunyani Municipal Assembly protested against the filthy corruption and mismanagement of public resources at the Assembly to the attention of all citizens. It’s only the President and his men who never heard, read or saw the issue that went viral. If they did, what have they done about it?
The no-nonsense President sat still and kept the Minister of Agriculture in office after he told the entire world that he, an educated adult human being saw donkeys smuggling fertilisers meant for Ghanaian farmers to neighbouring countries. Yet, he wants us to take him serious that he’s fighting corruption.
Nobody has been held responsible and accountable for Premix fuel diversions, BOST fuel lost and similar stuff that occured under Akufo-Addo’s leadership.
And, the aforementioned are the smallest of the scandals his administration has birthed from 2017 to 2021.
Nobody was held accountable for the almighty PDS fraud that was visited on our nation.
In the early hours of administration, SADA/NDA tricycles magically developed wings and flew in a scandalous acquisition by party functionaries. Nothing happened.
Galamsey excavators challenged the SADA tricycles by disappearing according to Frimpong Boateng. Ekow Ewusi who was named as the charmer was quickly left in peace when he threatened to go down with those who gave him the magical powers to cause the disappearance of the siezed excavators.
Right under the nose of the President, Charles Bissue, a presidential staffer on inter-ministerial committee formed to fight galamsey took TIPS IN BUNDLES to facilitate mining operations. The President saw nothing wrong with it. If he did, the man couldn’t work in his office after that. This is supposed to be the no-nonsense incorruptible man people hailed.
At Public Procurement Authority, the President’s appointee who served as a witness against Charllote Osei in a procurement case, formed a company to discover talents in contracts sales. His case just like Bissue’s remained on Amidu’s desk till he exited.
While some engaged in corruption and misappropriation of resources, others plainly wasted public money without President Akufo-Addo expressing concern. Or, was he worried that one of his appointees bought 13 airconditioners to fix on his office as if he’s running a cold store or mortuary?
How could he be worried when he himself was thinking of hiring very expensive jets that have bathing and cinema facilities?
President Akufo-Addo has just wasted the little hope Ghanaians had in the system. It’s sad that at his age he could do this knowing its implications to our democracy.
Sadder is how OccupyGhana and all those who petitioned John Mahama on the bus branding case, occupied public places and demonstrated against corruption have now changed their mode of operation to the extent that Akufo-Addo and his men feel they’re doing so well but only few Ghanaians aren’t satisfied.
Our anti-corruption champion, Citizen Vigilante, Martin Amidu also has been disarmed and rendered useless by Akufo-Addo just as he and his men worked against Domelevo to get in out.
Ahmed Suale too has been killed to put fear in investigative journalists and to give hope to corrupt officials that they aren’t being watched by the watchman, Anas Aremeyaw Anas and his team.
No wonder, the Auditor General’s Report says in 2020 alone Ghana lost over GHC 12Billion to financial irregularities. That’s twice the amount this wasteful government has targeted to collect from their unpopular e-levy in 2022.
President Akufo-Addo and his men are now driving on corruption motorway. He is the luckiest to enjoy this in the 4th Republic. But, he shall definitely go down as the most dishonest and wasteful leader Ghana had IF NOTHING CHANGES.
By Raymond Ablorh
