Mahama did well in fighting corruption – Herbert Lartey

The Flagbearer of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), Henry Herbert Lartey, who was disqualified from participating in the just ended 2016 presidential elections, has defended President Mahama’s record in the fight against corruption, commending the President for acting on reported cases of corruption. President Mahama has been heavily criticized for what the New Patriotic ...

The Flagbearer of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), Henry Herbert Lartey, who was disqualified from participating in the just ended 2016 presidential elections, has defended President Mahama’s record in the fight against corruption, commending the President for acting on reported cases of corruption.

President Mahama has been heavily criticized for what the New Patriotic Party described as a corruption-endemic administration.

But speaking on the tenure of President Mahama in a Citi News interview, Dr. Lartey said no President of Ghana could have done than what the President did.

“…He has done his bit. Few were corrupt in his government, and he didn’t hide them, and I hope Nana Addo also continues…He allowed the law to take its on course. He did well.”

Mr. Lartey also believes the canker should be fought by everyone and not just a President.

“It is the legal system that will stop corruption. It is the long arm of the laws that will stop it and it is going to be the same with Nana Addo. He cannot be in every corner to arrest those who are corrupt.That is not his job, it is for us to also ensure corruption doesn’t continue…”

Ghana is 63rd most corrupt country

Mahama’s government has been accused of condoning corrupt acts which critics say had overburdened the public purse.

In 2013, Ghana was ranked 63rd out of 177 countries surveyed in that year’s global corruption perception index (CPI).

The index released by Transparency International, said the country scored 46 out of 100 on the scale from zero to 100.

Ghana was ranked 64th out of 174 countries surveyed in 2012 and 69th in 2011 in the CPI.

‘Ghana must take corruption ranking seriously

The Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), the local chapter of Transparency International, had counseled government to take seriously the nation’s ranking on the global Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI).

Ghana moved two places from 63rd in 2013 to 61st in 2014 out of the 175 countries which were surveyed worldwide.

Despite this marginal improvement in the 2014 ranking, the GII said that the nation must not rest until corruption is drastically reduced or eradicated if possible.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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