World Anti-Corruption Summit: Why Is Mahama In London?

Just recently Transparency International published their annual Corruption Perception Index which showed Ghana topping all African countries except six.

This comes on the back of a sustained effort by President John Mahama at exposing and prosecuting corruption, which ends some of his own appointees in the dock. Paradoxically the sustained exposure of corruption means that there is a heightened public awareness of corruption, unlike before when a previous (NPP) government hushed up information exposing corruption.

The international community has been following these bold efforts to expose and root out corruption from our society using the institutions of the rule of law.

But the President’s efforts are not just instinctual steps. They are based on a National Anti-Corruption Action Plan (NACAP) which makes clear what targets there are to work at achieving. So there is a broad institutional consensus behind the President’s effort.

Before that the President declared his personal aversion against corruption by issuing a Code of Conduct to his appointees which guides their conducts in office.

Today there is ample evidence of the intention, plan and effort yielding tangible outcomes that Ghanaians can refer to. Officials of the erstwhile GYEEDA, SUBAH, and the National Service Scheme are facing investigation, prosecution, and even outright dismissal.

In the case of the NSS 33 officials have been sacked; 163 personnel have been dismissed and 18.5 million Ghana Cedis has been recovered. These are tangible outcomes of a successful anti-corruption fight. This is unlike what pertained in previous governments and in other countries.

It only makes sense that world leaders who have a special interest in fighting corruption will sit at the table with President Mahama on the subject.

In front of the evidence of the fight against corruption, President John Mahama is unmatched. We as a country can only encourage him to keep this up.

By Kofi Adoli, London