Akufo-Addo has made corruption attractive, emboldened thieves – NDC man

This is the view of aspiring deputy National Youth Organizer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Osman Ayariga.

According to him, Akufo-Ado has either failed to act on reported corruption or has cleared appointees accused of corrupt practices.

Discussing issues on the Labianca Company scandal on the August 27 edition of TV3's Key Points news analysis programme, Ayariga said: “if we observe the president’s actions even before the Labianca case, you will realise that his actions have been one that has actually made corruption attractive and has emboldened the people who have decided to engage in corrupt activities.

“We can look at all the cases in which the president in one way or the other, either hasn’t acted or has decided to pick and choose which of the reports will favour any officer. That is why we mention the president as being the clearing agents for all corruptions issues,” he stressed.

The Labianca case was brought to the limelight by the Office of the Special Prosecutor, after its investigations uncovered a case of tax evasion with alleged collusion between the company and Customs officials.

The state is said to have retrieved over one million cedis whiles a broader probe into the circumstances that led to the infraction has also been opened.

Government appointees have routinely been accused of engaging in corruption with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said to be paying only lip service to the fight against the canker.

According to the 2021 edition of the annual corruption ranking chart by Transparency International, Ghana ranked 73rd out of 180 countries on the Corruption Perception Index, CPI, report released on April 4.

“Ghana’s current performance is still below 50 which is the expected average, thus leaves much to be desired,” the report noted.

Out of 49 African countries ranked, Ghana placed 9th with Senegal, each bagging a score of 43.

SARA