President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has asserted that the recent publication of Ghana’s score in the 2017 Corruption Perception Index, - the lowest in the history of the country’s performance since the inception of the CPI in 2012 -, pertained to the era of the erstwhile Mahama-led National Democratic Congress (NDC) government.
Notwithstanding this, the president said, his administration will do and is doing all it can, to curb corruption, eventhough the task ahead is enormous.
"The recent publication of Ghana’s score in the 2017 Corruption Perception Index, organised by Transparency International, showing a further drop in our standing, a result largely based on “the plethora of corruption allegations/exposés” before the onset of this administration, indicates the enormity of the task ahead," the president said.
He was speaking at an event at the Flagstaff House to swear-in the recently vetted and approved Martin Amidu as Special Prosecutor.
The CPI report, released by the local chapter of Transparency International, the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), indicated that Ghana had recorded the worst corruption perception score in the last six years after it was ranked 81 out of the 180 countries assessed in the 2017 Global CPI.
It scored Ghana 40 out of 100, the lowest in Ghana’s CPI scores since 2012 when CPI scores became comparable. Some critics have argued it signifies a loss in the fight against corruption.
Minutes after the report went viral, the Minority in Parliament had a field day with it saying it was a reflection of the current state of corruption in the country and an indictment on a government which came to power on the back of promises to fight corruption.
Whiles calling on all to actively co-operate for a successful fight against corruption since "the Special Prosecutor cannot do it all by himself", President Akufo-Addo pledged his administration's support to enable Mr Amidu "discharge his high duties effectively."
"The Special Prosecutor cannot do it all by himself. He requires the active co-operation of all the institutions of our state, as well as that of the general public, if he is to be successful in the fight against corruption....I want to assure him that not only will the Executive, including the Attorney General, respect scrupulously the independence of his Office, but will also provide him with whatever assistance is required to enable him discharge his high duties effectively, in the interest of the Ghanaian people," he added.
The President further entreated Ghana’s first Special Prosecutor to guard against using his office to settle personal scores since his (Amidu's) office is a non-partisan one leading the fight against corruption and holding public officials past and present accountable for their stewardship of public finances.
“We expect the Special Prosecutor to discharge his duties vigorously, with courage, without fear or favour, ill-will or malice, in accordance with the rule of law. The establishment of this Office is for a high purpose, and must not, under any circumstances, be used as an avenue for persecution or vengeance,” he said.
Speaking at his swearing-in ceremony, Mr Amidu stressed that he will prosecute crime without fear or favour, adding that no amount of witch-hunting propaganda will stop him in his quest to try anyone found to have engaged in corrupt acts in court.
He also revealed that he has not been served with a writ challenging his position as the SP.
“Mr President, I wish to assure you that the propaganda about witch hunting will not daunt me from prosecuting all corruption crimes without reference to political considerations...I want the public to know that nobody has served me personally with any writ or statement of case or injunction challenging my nomination, approval and appointment so as to restrain me from accepting this appointment,” the Special Prosecutor said.
Below is a reproduction of the speech delivered by the President at the swearing-in ceremony
Let me first welcome you all warmly to the seat of our nation’s presidency.
On the second day of this year, I assented to the enactment of the Office of Special Prosecutor Act, 2017, (Act 959). Pursuant thereto, the Attorney-General, Ms Gloria Akuffo, in compliance with the provisions of s.13(3) of the Act, wrote to me, on 11th January, 2018, to nominate Mr. Martin Alamisi Burns Kaiser Amidu for appointment as Special Prosecutor.
I readily accepted the Attorney General’s nomination, and, on the same day, announced his nomination to the country, and, subsequently, on 11th January, 2018, I sought the approval of Parliament for the appointment.
After a spirited and revealing vetting of the nominee, Parliament, on 20th February, 2018, notified me, by letter under the hand of the Speaker, the Rt. Hon. Michael Aaron Oquaye, of its decision to approve, by consensus, the nomination of Mr.Amidu for appointment as Special Prosecutor.
By the swearing-in of Mr.Amidu this afternoon, the process of appointment of the Special Prosecutor, set forth in s.13 of the Act, has been completed.
The enactment of Act 959, and the successful appointment of a Special Prosecutor, are historic events in our modern history.
The Ghanaian people have, in overwhelming numbers, denounced the canker of corruption that has, in recent years, engulfed the public life of our nation to the detriment of our progress. The response of the New Patriotic Party to this strong, popular sentiment, was to pledge, inter alia, in its Manifesto for the 2016 general elections, the establishment of the Office of Special Prosecutor, an independent, non-partisan body, with the relevant professional capability, to lead the fight against corruption, and hold public officials, past and present, accountable for their stewardship of public finances.
The Ghanaian people expect the Office of the Special Prosecutor to rise to the occasion, and collaborate with other existing law enforcement agencies, to fight relentlessly, and help eliminate corruption in our public life. We expect the Special Prosecutor to discharge his duties vigorously, with courage, without fear or favour, ill-will or malice, in accordance with the rule of law. The establishment of this Office is for a high purpose, and must not, under any circumstances, be used as an avenue for persecution or vengeance.
The Office will be required to do justice to all manner of persons. In his book, “Practice and Procedure In The Trial Courts and Tribunals of Ghana” (2011, Second Edition), the respected, former member of the Supreme Court, Brobbey JSC, reiterated the overriding duty of a Prosecutor in the following words: “Always the principle holds that (the prosecutor) is concerned with justice first, justice second and conviction a very bad third”.
The overwhelming, popular acceptance by the good people of Ghana, and the strong consensus approval by Parliament, of Mr. Amidu’s nomination justify the confidence I repose in him.
Indeed, his eloquence and grasp of issues, displayed to the public during his recent vetting, is further testimony of the soundness of his appointment.
I want to assure him that not only will the Executive, including the Attorney General, respect scrupulously the independence of his Office, but will also provide him with whatever assistance is required to enable him discharge his high duties effectively, in the interest of the Ghanaian people.
The recent publication of Ghana’s score in the 2017 Corruption Perception Index, organised by Transparency International, showing a further drop in our standing, a result largely based on “the plethora of corruption allegations/exposés” before the onset of this administration, indicates the enormity of the task ahead.
It is noteworthy that its local chapter, Ghana Integrity Initiative, in commenting on the report, has acknowledged that “digitisation is changing the ways we communicate and how we do business, and as a result reduced the corruption rate in Ghana.”
The Special Prosecutor cannot do it all by himself. He requires the active co-operation of all the institutions of our state, as well as that of the general public, if he is to be successful in the fight against corruption.
I have known Martin Amidu for several years.
Indeed, I was his opposing counsel in many of the landmark constitutional cases in the early years of the 4th Republic in the 1990s, and can personally testify to the tenacity with which he holds onto his views. That tenacity has now to be exercised in favour of the Ghanaian people in his new office.
I congratulate him on his deserved appointment, and wish him God’s guidance in the effort he will undoubtedly be making to try to instil integrity and accountability in the governance of our country. The ultimate beneficiaries of his actions, indeed, of the actions of all of us in public office, will be the Ghanaian people.
Thank you, and may God bless us all and our homeland Ghana, and make her great and strong.
Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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attention to martin hamidu and ghana people and state thiefs, , all those mahama ministers and chief director s of government companies who have stolen ghana people monies . issued fake checks and inflated contracts and have been seen will face court, if found guilt will be sentenced, lose their houses, monies, cars and properties, if the do property in the names of their children wives, friends and relative , it will be seized and families prosecuted for aiding and abeting, the looters will pay back the monies with interest, all those who are running away to london , dubai, u,s,,a asia , will be bought back by Interpol,. any place all over the world, they go. ghana people will collect every pesewa from state thiefs, nation looters and anti government people, all those who have stolen poor peoples. children monies, widows monies, sick people monies monies, cars houses must get ready the citizens of ghana will collect every thing and make sure the go to prison for 100years,from poor , worried hungry and concern citizens of ghana
WHO EVEN VOTED THAT URLY TO BE PRESIDENT A GHANA HMMM
WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM, I WAS TOLD NEVER TO LIE IN MY REPORTAGE, BUT IF I WISH TO LIE, I SHOULD ONLY DO SO WHEN I'M WRITTING ON AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW I HAVE CONDUCTED, BUT NOT WHEN WRITTING ON AN OPEN EVENT SUCH AS FOOTBALL MATCH WHERE OTHER PEOPLE WOULD BE PRESENT, BECAUSE THEY ARE LIKELY TO EXPOSE AND EMBARASS ME. THE PRESIDENT IS LYING ON AN OPEN EVENT WHICH IS ACAILABLE FOR ALL AND SUNDRY TO VERIFY, WHY IS HE EMBARASSING THE SEAT OF PRESIDENCY BY SUCH OBVIOUS LIES? I'M DISAPPOINTED IN HIM, I THOUGHT HE HAD SOME DIGNITY TO PROTECT AT HIS AGE, BUT I'M SORRY HE IS A SORRY OF A ROLE MODEL TO EMULATE.
Mr president this is false. 6 out of the 7 indexes used for the CPI report was in 2017 when your administration was in charge. Im soo sorry for you.
Hey.. ndc fixed dumsor? Are you alright? Or am living in a different Ghana.. keep quite if you have nothing better to say..
Well spoken mr Steeve you have spoking very well
i have always said that ndc and their followers like @Steeve are stup1>d ple who have no brains to think. they only used numbers to make conclusions but will not ask questions on what goes into those numbers such as the weight. any well thinking human begin will ask for the methodology used in the research and how they come up with those numbers. u can not accept any thing ple put out there just like that and it is only 1d10>ts like the ndc and their followers that will do so. until I have the chance to read the full report I will continue to see the ndc as stup1>d ple with no brains.
Let the NDC and people who think like her such as @STEEVE know what NPP is doing against corruption in Ghana. The KB report has TASK NDC to also make NOISE against NPP about corruption whether proven to untrue does not matter. JUST throw it out there, it will inform the perception. Even when Parliament has NOT found anything corruption does not matter. It all stared with Ayariga, then BOST, to Dept Chief of Staff, to Ken to cash to seat. NDC does not care about the results of the investigations. Just throw them out there! Look at how they are fighting Martin (SP) all the way to the SC? SP, work hard without witch hunting tag. NDC is SHAKING to the bone!
THIS IS DISHONESTY AT ITS BEST AND SHOULD NOT COME THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF. TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL MADE IT CLEAR THAT THEY USE 9 INDICATORS TO MEASURE THE LEVEL OF CORRUPTION. OUT OF THE 9 , 2 WERE FROM 2016 AND 7 FROM 2017. BY YOUR ESTIMATION, 2 IS GREATER THAN 9,ABI?. WHEN IT IS A GOOD THING IT IS FOR NPP AND WHEN A BAD THING IT IS FOR NDC. IN THE RECENT STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS, YOU WERE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT YOUR GOVT HAS ENDED DUMSOR WHEN EVERYONE IN GHANA KNOWS THAT DUMSOR ENDED IN LATE 2015, AND SINCE YOU TOOK OVER YOUR GOVT SO FAR HAS NOT ADDED EVEN A SINGLE KILOWATT YET TO THE NATIONAL GRID. JUST ADMIT THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM AND WITH TIME IT WILL BE DEALT WITH AND STOP THROWING DUST INTO PEOPLES EYES. YOU CANNOT TELL LIES THIS TIME ROUND AND SUCCEED. WE WERE ***barred word*** ONLY TO REALIZE NOW THAT THE DEVIL YOU KNOW IS BETTER THAN THE ANGEL YOU DON'T KNOW. THE MOST DISAPPOINTING PRESIDENT IN GHANA'S HISTORY.