The Young Professionals, a youth group affiliated to the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has slammed President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for “failing” to tackle corruption head-on in the country after assuming power.
According to members of the group, government has reneged on addressing the much talked about corruption in the public sector which the NPP vowed to fight immediately it wins the 2016 elections as President Akufo-Addo sees himself as “a senior angel” and his appointees as “angels” who cannot be corrupt.
The NPP, in the build-up to the 2016 election, said they were poised to ensure good governance, by eroding the foundation of gross corruption laid by the then President, John Mahama and the NDC government.
But within its first year, the NPP-Akufo-Addo led government was caught in various controversies including the bribery allegation against Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko by some Minority members of Parliament’s Appointment Committee, the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company Limited’s 5 million liters contaminated fuel scandal which caused the state to lose some GH¢7 million, among others.
Although President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has appointed the Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu and his deputy to prosecute corrupt public officials, the Young Professionals still believe government’s corruption fight is a “joke”.
Addressing the press in Accra Wednesday, General Secretary of the YP, Elikem E. K. Kotoko said the President deceived citizens to vote for him with his “try me” mantra and with the hope that he would operate a corruption-free government as he made them believe.
Elikem E. K. Kotoko said, “Over the past months, some very dangerous corrupt acts were recorded by this government which are worthy of highlighting. The president, then candidate, waged a campaign on the back of corruption, stating how corrupt the then administration was, and sought to be tried with his "try me" mantra which got him elected. Ghanaians agreed and handed him power to constitute and operate a corruption-free government.”
“Soon after taking power, the first heavy weighted corruption case emerged from the Bulk Oil Storage and Transport (BOST). We have not forgotten how some 5 million litres of oil was contaminated and sold out to a non-existing company. A company with no track record in dealing with such products, a company selected without following the Public Procurement Act of 2003, ACT 663 as amended, in the award of the said contract,” he recalled.
In the light of all these allegations, the President, according to the YP, has failed to show seriousness in curbing the corruption in his administration as he continued to “clear” all his appointees caught up in the scandals.
“The President has taken onto himself, the duties of a clearing agent, clearing every allegation of corruption brought to his attention. In the specific case of BOST, the President moved with the speed of light, to clear the individuals involved of any wrongdoing. As we speak, though an investigation is said to have been launched into the contaminated oil scandal, no report whatsoever, is out in the public.”
Again, when the Minister of Energy, Hon. Boakye Agyarko appeared before Parliament sometime in 2017 to answer to questions on this matter, he intimated that the ministry established a committee which found no wrongdoing and had since cleared the individuals involved in this scandal. Parliament had since requested to see minutes of the said committee's meeting. As we speak, no such request has been honoured to the best of our knowledge,” the group alleged.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo