In an interview, the former Auditor-General stated that the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo treats corruption with kit gloves. He bemoaned the fact that before the President’s election into office in 2016, he was sold to Ghanaian masses by the governing New Patriotic Party as a staunch anti-corruption crusader and the right man Ghana needs.
Furthermore, Nana Addo’s career as a lawyer and his known reputation as a bold and no-nonsense persona gave the party’s ticket its needed boost to defeat the National Democratic Party in the election. At the time, the desire for change was high among the electorates and the public. Polls upon polls showed that many Ghanaians felt the country was heading in the wrong direction.
Moreover, numerous surveys indicated that Ghanaians were concerned about the situation and were yearning for a change. President Nana Addo’s perceived “clean” image, and his formidable experience in various ministerial capacities including his tenure as foreign minister and at another time Ghana’s Attorney-General. It is this rich résumé that endeared the president to Ghanaians at the time.
In describing the President’s demeanor towards corruption, Mr. Domelovo rhetorically quizzed
“How many government officials have been accused of corruption? and what has happened to them? Then, others will join. Forget about the OSP, from the Presidency itself, say that Daniel you have been sighted in this case and you are sacked, or you have been relieved, go and clear yourself and come.
Mr. Daniel Domelovo
When he was reminded that accusations of corruption differ from convictions of corruption, he agreed but suggested that such decisions and suspensions have a deterrent effect on government officials. “Not at all, but just showing that you are not tolerating it is a different thing altogether. I not saying that the fact that you have been suspended or that you are relieved from your position means that you are guilty of corruption. Then it gives a signal to government officials that they would not be tolerated.”
Corruption Perception
When Amnesty International released its Global Corruption Index (CPI), Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), which is Amnesty International’s local branch decried the situation where despite several costly initiatives, Ghana’s ranking has stagnated. At face value, it looks relatively good, but it is noteworthy to state that for the fourth time in a role Ghana’s position has not changed.
“Ghana scored 43 out of a clean score of 100 and ranked 70th out of 180 countries and territories included in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2023 released to ellipses by Transparency International (TI). This marks the fourth consecutive year of stagnation in Ghana’s anti-corruption efforts, as indicated by the CPI.”
Transparency International
Meanwhile, in explaining Ghana’s standing on the ranking and the reasons that accounted for that, the Ghana Integrity Initiative disclosed that both global and domestic factors influence the outcome
“Under the theme for the CPI 2023 – Corruption and Justice, Ghana’s stagnated score highlights a global trend of deteriorating justice systems, which is reducing the accountability of public officials and therefore allowing corruption to thrive.”
Ghana Integrity Initiative
Actions and Reforms
The report has only increased the fear among experts and the public. This has resulted in a renewed call for action to nip the canker in the bud before it gets out of hand. Adding its voice to the growing call, the Ghana Integrity Initiative asks parliament to strengthen its oversight responsibilities by taking steps to lay down the “Conduct of Public Officers’ Bill” in Parliament. GII believes that this would aid the fight against corruption in Ghana.
Measures such as the passage of the Right to Information Bill and the creation of the Office of the Special Prosecutor are but a few policy mechanisms that have been utilized in the clampdown on the canker.
To appreciate the scale and the depth of the problem, stringent investigation of cases fingered in the Auditor-General’s reports is a good starting point.
