By Ernest Nutsugah
Accra, Sept. 12, GNA – Investigative Journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has commended the Government for showing “appreciable commitment” to campaign promises made towards the fight against corruption but said more work needs to be done.
Speaking at the National Anti-Corruption Dialogue in Accra on Thursday, he cited Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL), cancellation of the Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) contract, introduction of code of conduct for government appointees, termination of Zoomlion YEA contract, and the establishment of the Value for Money Office, as some progressive steps in the fight against corruption.
“Some Ghanaians who have been chanting a milder version of the 1979 ‘Let the Blood Flow’ are impatient with what they call the slow pace of ORAL…but when compared to what has happened in the past, and in other institutions, I believe ORAL has done comparatively better and is very serious about fighting corruption,” he said.
Mr Awuni, however, described the discontinuation of court cases against some members and affiliates of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as “the biggest blow” to President Mahama’s anti-corruption fight, and urged the Government to crack the whip.
He expressed the belief that such a move set “a bad precedent” as the President could have ordered fresh investigations into the cases to enhance commitment to holding associates and members in his government accountable.
He said the Government acted on public sentiments about corruption but expressed concern about single source procurement in the award of some public contracts, such as those identified under the “Big Push” road projects.
“There is no guarantee that competitive tendering always follows all the rules of transparency and merit-based procurement but it is still better than single source procurement…if single source procurement was bad under Akuffo Addo, it cannot be good under President Mahama,” he said.
The forum, organised by the Ghana Anti-corruption Coalition (GACC), sought to review President Mahama’s commitment to the fight against corruption in his first 18- months in office.
It brought together stakeholders to deliberate on the state of governance and accountability and efforts required to advance Ghana’s anti-corruption agenda.
Mr Awuni expressed doubt over the Value for Money Office’s ability to tackle inefficiencies and wasteful spending of public funds, saying existing institutions must be made to work.
“I believe strongly that if existing institutions are made to work and the President cracks the whip, state institutions and public offices will stop [looting] the state through corrupt procurement…adding more institutions without addressing the core problems, has not, and will not solve procurement corruption,” he said.
The former founding Editor-in-Chief of the Fourth Estate urged civil society organisations to hold state anti-corruption agencies accountable while sustaining advocacy against corruption.
He said independent state institutions such as the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) must be strengthened to function properly in the anti-corruption fight.
Mr Awuini observed that the President’s decision to trim the number of ministerial appointees could reduce the potential of corruption scandals, but government officials who engaged in unethical practices must also be sanctioned.
Mr Kissi Agyabeng, the Special Prosecutor, emphasised financial and constitutional independence of state anti-corruption institutions, non-conviction-based asset recovery, and lifestyle audit, to help tackle corruption effectively.
“The presumption of corruption should be instituted where it is very clear that a person is unable to explain their wealth as matched to their lawful sources of income…
“If we mount this presumption, then it will be up to the person to say I have lawful means of income to support this kind of lifestyle…this is not a shortcut but it makes the work less difficult,” he said.
Mr Leo Antony Siamah, Head of Legal and Prosecution Unit, Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), highlighted progress in the prosecution of economic crimes, enhanced asset tracing, and collaboration with other state agencies in the past 18 months.
He expressed the institution’s commitment to fighting financial crime and called for bi-partisan support for the passage of the new EOCO Bill, as well as active civil society partnership, and adequate resources for anti-corruption institutions.
Mr Joseph Whittal, Commissioner of CHRAJ, commended the role of civil society in the anti-corruption fight, urging the Attorney General and the Office of the Special Prosecutor to resolve their differences.
The Ghana Anti-corruption Coalition established in March 2001 and works to promote anti-corruption efforts through coordination of state and non-state actors, strategic partnerships and mobilising citizen and citizen groups.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe
Writer’s email: [email protected]