Private Legal Practitioner, Maurice Ampaw has expressed disappointment in the ruling government, led by President Nana Akufo-Addo for what he describes as a failed promise in prosecuting ex-government officials under the erstwhile John Mahama administration.
According to him, President Akufo-Addo made so many promises to fight corruption when he is voted into power by going after all government officials in the previous administration who were involved in corrupt practices but almost 4 years into his administration, the government has ‘only’ managed to complete one trial, a feat he believes is not good enough.
His comments come on the back of the sentencing of three former directors of the National Communications Authority for a total jail term of 16 years for causing financial loss to the state.
Speaking on Kumasi-based Hello Fm, Lawyer Maurice Ampaw said the delay in prosecuting cases in the Akufo-Addo government is as a result of the late appointment of the Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu; a delay which the NPP is likely to pay for dearly.
According to him, if President Akufo-Addo had prioritized the fight against corruption like he did education, the country would have seen more convictions throughout the tenure of the administration.
“Now let’s come to my disappointment with the NPP government. I like the way they have handled their affairs but they have failed in prosecuting corrupt cases. For four years, there are so many corrupt cases pending at the CID, EOCO, Special Prosecutor, more than 100 cases and you have managed to secure just one ruling in your favour in your 4th year, it’s not good enough. My worry is that the NPP is likely to pay dearly for this because I was expecting the president to fight corruption allegations and ensure that they are prosecuted in the first year.
“There is something called priority. Every government has so many things they want to do when they win power. You could see the priority of the President was education and so quickly, without money, he rolled out free education, and when it comes to the fight against corruption, the president’s first appointment should have been Martin Amidu, that would have sent a signal that he is there to fight corruption so if he had appointed and resourced Martin Amidu in the first year, we would have seen convictions three years along the line but what did we do? We waited almost getting to the third year before Amidu was appointed,” he said.
Adding, “Send a signal to the ordinary Ghanaians, people are not really interested in corruption cases which are not political and that is why people were happy when Martin Amidu was appointed because they had hopes that political corruption will be dealt with and in the President’s campaign he said some officials in the NDC were corrupt and when he comes he will deal with them and you appointed Martin Amidu to deal with them but that hasn’t been done.”
The danger of beginning political prosecutions in an election year, according to Maurice Ampaw, will create the impression that the Government is engaging in a political witch hunt.
“You give Martin Amidu appointment almost three years into your administration and then it’s taken him almost one year to set his office up that is why Martin Amidu has not been able to prosecute a single case. Even this case is not coming from his office, it’s coming from the attorney general…We were expecting the special prosecutor to lead the chase against political corruption. This government said they have evidence of corruption but up till now the Special Prosecutor has not been able to prosecute a single case…the time is too late because we are in the election year when you start going after your opponents in an election year, everyone will say it is a political witch hunt,” he added.
