A private legal practitioner, Justice Abdulai, has suggested to the government that establishing offices alone is not capable of fighting corruption.
Speaking on recent corruption report by CDD-Ghana, he indicated that there is more to fighting corruption than the mere establishment of corruption fighting institutions.
“The President has not done much to fight corruption and has completely failed the entire nation;in the fight against the corruption.
“What you mostly hear from people is that the office of the Special Prosecutor has been put in place so, he has redeemed his promise of fighting corruption. I think that is so laughable and unimpressive to hear”.
Justice Abdulai
He further averred that the nation has always had all the state institutions;that have been set up to fight corruption in addition to the Attorney General’s office but corruption still exists.
“We have CHRAJ,;EOCO and you do not need a separate office much as it is desired,;in order to fight corruption.
“The members of the former administration have not been prosecuted by the office of the special prosecutor. And so, it is very ridiculous when you hear comments to the effect that because of the existence of the establishment of the Special Prosecutor’s office,;the President has done all that he needs to do in order to fight corruption”.
Justice Abdulai
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Members of current administration not prosecuted
Mr. Abdulai also asserted that the President cannot say he has fought corruption when no member of his administration has been prosecuted in matters involving corruption or corruption related matters.
“Considering the plethora of allegations made in the first and second terms,;you find it unimaginable to say he [President] is fighting corruption; looking at the health minister still being in office with the President covering him and all that.
“Simply by establishing an office or institution is not capable of fighting;else we should have finished fighting it with the office of the Attorney General or any of the state institutions that have been with us for the past 30 years”.
Justice Abdulai
He therefore urged the President to do more to prove to the world that he is indeed ready to fight corruption.
“He needs to do way more than simply having tea parties with his colleagues;and his cabinet when the people make a corruption allegation against them. And then coming out the next day to say that he is fighting corruption”.
Justice Abdulai
Corruption institutions face hurdles
Also adding up to the discussion,;Professor Ransford Van Gyampo,;Associate Professor at the University of Ghana,;sided with the assertion that corruption fight is not about setting up institutions.
“We have the penchant for setting up institutions and making them toothless. The idea of the Council of State was borrowed from the traditional conception of the council of elders. It was so powerful and their advice was also so binding.”
Professor Gyampo
The Professor further indicated that there are inarguable hurdles in these institutions that have been set up to really function to the core to achieve the real rational for their acceptance.
“I think that we should move away from the politics of ticking the box in terms of achievements. We have done this,;we have done that without taking cognizance of the fact that what we say we have done, are really producing the kinds of results that we are looking for.”
Professor Gyampo
