The Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Shamima Muslim has urged Ghanaians not to allow politicians exploit them, by demanding accountability from Political leaders.
She emphasized the need for political actors, including those in the National Democratic Congress (NDC), to be held accountable for their actions.
Shamima Muslim highlighted the need to prevent political actors from feeling untouchable when they misuse state resources. She vehemently stated;
“We must not give political actors any power, and that includes us the NDC, we must not give them any power to think that at any point in time, they can take the citizens for granted. Do what they want, do with adept as they please with our collective resources, and go and enjoy whatever loot they may have illegally acquired through the instrument of their positional power. We must not grant that kind of freedom to political actors.”
Shamima Muslim Deputy Presidential Spokesperson
According to Shamima Muslim, the outgone administration has been reluctant to properly investigate corruption cases. She emphasized;
“There’s a reason why His Excellency, the former president, was called a clearing agent. Why so? Should we not take a second look at if the outgoing administration showed no commitment in even investigating some of these matters, but rather clearing some of these cases even before investigations were to commence or be completed?”
Shamima Muslim Deputy Presidential Spokesperson
Shamima Muslim cited specific corruption scandals, including the National Cathedral project, which saw the disappearance of millions of dollars in state funds. She said;
“Take the issue of the cathedral—58 million dollars. There are so many issues arising out of that particular scandal. The Pwalugu Dam—12 million dollars—sunk in a project that is non-existent. There are germane questions that require looking into.”
Shamima Muslim Deputy Presidential Spokesperson
According to her, individuals who have embezzled state funds should be held accountable and made to return any assets acquired unlawfully. She assured Ghanaians that under the leadership of the current president, there would be no arbitrary or unjustifiable prosecutions.
Public Demand for Accountability
The Deputy Presidential Spokesperson emphasized that citizens have consistently demanded greater accountability from those in positions of power. She noted;
“The president [Mahama] is merely reflecting the feel of the society, the expectation of the society. As he reminded all of us today, during the electioneering period, accountability was one of the most popular demands across the country. The citizens were demanding greater accountability from those that are in positions of power and influence, and rightly so.”
Shamima Muslim Deputy Presidential Spokesperson
She explained that Ghana, as a resource-rich country, cannot afford to continue mismanaging its wealth. She added;
“Over the years, we have all agreed that democracy in itself is taking a big hit, and many countries are reporting erosions in trust in our democracy and in our democratic institutions.”
Shamima Muslim Deputy Presidential Spokesperson
She stressed that corruption has led to the dissipation of public funds, depriving citizens of basic necessities and a dignified life.
“At the bottom of it is the unbridled corruption that continues to dissipate public funds at the expense of providing basic necessities and offering dignified lives and opportunities for the citizens in whom we hold trust for all of these resources.”
Shamima Muslim Deputy Presidential Spokesperson
The Attorney General’s Role in Addressing Corruption Cases
Shamima Muslim addressed concerns regarding the Attorney General’s recent actions, particularly the dropping of charges against some former appointees of the previous NDC administration. She insisted that these cases were politically motivated and lacked merit. She argued;
“We cannot compare what has been happening regarding the discontinuance of some cases that have been pending for a while with the instances coming up from the audit report. These cases were political persecutions of political opponents because of how long they have traveled, how contrived some of the charges were, and how inconsistent the previous administration was in holding its own appointees accountable.”
“Take the issue of Ofosu Ampofo, take the finance minister’s case, for instance. Anyone who followed these cases closely would know that they were purely political persecutions. It is just in character with the outgoing administration because the last time they were in power, we saw these same things happening.”
Shamima Muslim Deputy Presidential Spokesperson
Shamima Muslim reiterated that under the new administration, there will be no political persecution, but corruption cases will be thoroughly investigated. She emphasized that citizens must remain vigilant to ensure that public officials are held accountable for their actions. She added;
“The Attorney General will be addressing a press conference later this week. He will be telling Ghanaians exactly why some of these cases have been discontinued and what measures will be put in place to ensure justice.”
Shamima Muslim Deputy Presidential Spokesperson
She reaffirmed the commitment of the current administration to fighting corruption and restoring public trust in governance.
Shamima Muslim’s remarks underscore the critical role of accountability in governance and the need to hold all political actors, regardless of party affiliation, to the highest standards of integrity.
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