Professor Stephen Adei, the former Director General and Rector of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration has refuted corruption allegations levelled against him by one Mr Kwabena Kwakye, a journalist with an Accra-based Oman Fm.
In a statement issued on Monday, December 4 2023 in reaction to the corruption allegations, Professor Stephen Adei reiterated his long-standing position that he has never abused or benefited from any public office that he has ever occupied in the country.
The Former Board Chairman of the Ghana Revenue Authority however, attributed the recent corruption allegations made against him as a result of his criticism of President Akufo-Addo and the New Patriotic Party administration’s inability to stop corruption in the country.
According to him, the corruption allegations levelled against him are deliberate lies and propaganda meant to defame his credibility and integrity by some ‘agents’ of the ruling New Patriotic Party’s administration to deceive the unsuspecting public.
“I want to state explicitly that I have never abused any of the above opportunities or profited from them besides the approved fees like any other public servant or director. To me using public office for private gain is corruption and I have hated it since I was saved by Jesus Christ as a teenager. I want to humbly state that serving my country in all those positions has cost me more than I could earn on my own with the time and thought I have had to devote to the services.
“My tax records at GRA, if anyone cares to check. I wouldn’t spend my time on that but for the fact that it is always an honour and privilege to be called upon to serve one’s country for the public good. I want to state categorically that all the statements of Kwabena Kwakye on the National Agenda, on Oman FM on 24th October 2023, and the likes about my stewardship as Chairman of GRA are absolutely false”.
Professor Stephen Adei
Again, the venerable Professor denounced allegations of his affiliation to the two leading political parties in the country, the National Democratic Congress and the New Patriotic Party.
He thus emphasized that while he has never declined any opportunity given to him to serve the country, has however never lobbied for any position under any administration since his emergence into the country’s public service.
“On my return to Ghana after 15 years of international public service and diplomacy, I was appointed Director General of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) when H.E Jerry Rawlings was President in 2000. I continued as Director General and later First Rector as well as Chairman of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation during the presidency of H.E J. A. Kufuor.
“I was made a member of the Advisory Board of the Ministry of Finance when H.E Prof Mills was President. Additionally, I was a member of the Board of the Environmental Protection Council and one of the Co-chairs of the Senchi Consensus during President Mahama’s regime. Similarly, when I was asked to be on the Judicial Council and to Chair the National Development Planning Commission and the Ghana Revenue Authority under H.E Akufo-Addo’s first term I accepted them as a call to service. NOT ON ONE OCCASION DID I LOBBY TO SERVE OR JOIN A GRAVY TRAIN OF THE CORRUPT”.
Professor Stephen Adei
Professor Stephen Adei Touts His Achievement As Board Chair For GRA
Moreover, Professor Stephen Adei, the former Board Chair of the Ghana Revenue Authority touted his sterling achievements as the Board Chair of the Ghana Revenue Authority under President Akufo-Addo’s administration from 2017 to 2021.
Professor Stephen Adei further denied allegations against him that as a board chair of the Ghana Revenue Authority he awarded contracts to his close associates including his children. He stressed that both two of sons are all very established in their respective careers and there is no way they are interested in receiving a contract from the government of Ghana.
“In any case, I am hearing for the first time that in Ghana chairmen of public boards can award contracts to their children, which definitely could be happening on our blind side for such an allegation to be contemplated”.
Professor Stephen Adei
Again, Professor Stephen Adei refuted allegation of receiving ‘a four-wheel drive vehicle as the board chair of the Ghana Revenue Authority.
He however, asserted that under his leadership as the board chair of the Ghana Revenue Authority, he undertook measures to end the ‘naked thievery’ of vehicles and goods by the ‘political elite’ through the so-called “auction” system which he believed strongly offended several people.
“We tried to end awards of contracts to foreigners where Ghanaians had better capacity. We made sure that Commissioners would not sign contracts on our blind side as allegedly has resurfaced. We ended a system of promotion by ‘whom you know’ and ensured that competent people got promoted irrespective of alleged party affiliation, etc. We also aimed to raise the revenue to GDP ratio to 17.5% and the record of our 15 months in the “lions’ den” is there to show it could be done. If these are offences, we are proud of them”.
Professor Stephen Adei
More so, Professor Stephen Adei lamented over the high rate of corruption in the country and stressed that reports by the Transparency International and Afro-Barometer affirm his assertion.
According to him, the incidence of corruption in the country is not only limited to President Akufo-Addo and the New Patriotic Party’s administration or the Ministry of Roads which the Honourable Amoako Atta himself mentioned earlier that it is full of ‘thieves’.
He further noted that the recent disturbing new dimension of corruption in Ghana is that in almost ‘67%’ of the cases, according to the ‘2022 United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime report’ on corruption in Ghana, public officials in Ghana demand the bribe ‘bold-facedly upfront’.
According to him it was exactly what he illustrated with the case of the Ministry of Roads in his recent criticisms because someone had earlier informed him that such a demand was made to him.
In his final remarks, Professor Stephen Adei condemned the campaign of intimidation directed at public leaders who dared to speak against corruption in the country.
“Let me conclude by saying that the phenomenon whereby any comment by a prominent Ghanaian regarding corruption in Ghana is greeted by directing the anti-corruption agencies or social media personnel and so- called TV and radio hosts of politically aligned media houses to go after them must stop forthwith. If any public office holder feels someone has impinged on their integrity, if they have any, they are at liberty like any other Ghanaian to seek redress themselves and not to direct ‘independent agencies’ to go after them. We should not sit down for people who have contributed to bring Ghana where we are today like Prof Kwabena Frimpong Boateng, Sir Sam Jonah, Mr. John Yaw Domelevo, etc. to be taken to the cleaners by ‘nunkwams’ (nobodies), without in anyway alleging they are without fault”.
Professor Stephen Adei
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