Provide Ghanaians With Outcomes of Alleged Corruption Cases - Integrity Initiative to Govt

By Mohammed Suleman

The Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII)is demanding of government, particularly agencies of state responsible for investigationsand prosecution of graft related issues to provide Ghanaians with updates on the outcomesof alleged corruption cases which rocked the country this year.

The request comes following a long silence from these agencies after government had initiated steps to deal with these alleged corruption cases.

"To the extent that government initiated steps or promised to deal with them,the GII deems it appropriate to demand an update on what has been done so far or is being done as the year 2018 comes to an end,"

At a media conference organizedby the GII in Accra on Tuesday to drum home its demand forimmediate action to be taken on these cases, the anti- corruption organization insists Ghanaians must be updated on the outcomes of these investigations.

Addressing the media, Madam Mary Awelana Adda, Programme Manager of GII outlined some ofthe serious cases which the organization thought should not be allowed to die a natural death.

She mentioned eight corruption cases including the Bauxite company scandal, the double salary allegations, the MMT scandal, the robbing the assemblies scandal, the Fumigation contract , the GFA and Nyantakyi corruption scandal among others which appear to have been abandonedby the state.

"... We demand of government, particularly agencies of state-mandated to investigate and prosecute corruption the status of several alleged cases of corruption which inundated the airwaves during the course of the year but unfortunately we still do not know their outcomes."

She told the gathered press that the aforementionedalleged scandals have remained unresolved and hanging, adding "truth be told, it does not portend well for the fight against corruption when the outcomesof widely reported alleged corruption cases such as these are never known by the public."

Mrs Adda noted that the GII, "is of the view that it is the right of Ghanaians to know and therefore demands an update from the Attorney General and Ministries which have oversight responsibility over the institutions where these alleged act of corruption took place.

Again, the Organization expressed worry over reports that some government appointees and ministries are withholding information from the police and the Attorney General's Department which is making it difficult to proceed with some of the cases.

"We therefore call on the President to step in and call the government appointees to order. We also challenge the police to use the constitutional and legal powers at their disposal to enforce compliance from the government appointees concerned."

The Institution further used the platform to comment government for the budgetary allocation to the Office of the Special Prosecutor, while calling on the Ministry of Finance to ensure that disbursement are timely made to the Office to enable it perform its mandate as the public has high expectation of the office in the fight against corruption.

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