IN his bid to fight corruption, and also make it unattractive to public office holders, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in his maiden budget to the nation through his finance minister, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta indicated that he would ensure that sections of the Criminal Offences Act be amended to make corruption a felony, instead of misdemeanor under the current statutes.
THE President reiterated his commitment to the fight against corruption last week in a statement read on his behalf at the opening of a two-day conference on governance and law organised by University of Professional Studies (UPSA) as part of activities to mark Ghana “60 years on’
SADLY, corruption is merely categorised as a misdemeanour by virtue of Section 239 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29). For instance, the most painful aspect of this is that, the proliferation of corrupt public officials has weakened the legitimacy, effectiveness and efficiency of state institutions, and most importantly destroyed the trust that must exist between government and the public.
IT would be recalled that, during the 2016 electioneering campaign, the then presidential candidate of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. Akufo-Addo warned that, he would not tolerate any criminal act from public office holders in his government.
TODAY therefore finds the president’s decision barely three months into his administration to make corruption and other related offences felonies as a welcome news which must be supported by all and sundry. This, Today believes, will help deter public servants from illegally enriching themselves with state funds.
CORRUPTION undoubtedly remains the bane of the economic development and progress of the nation, and it is for this reason that, the decision by the new administration to make it a felony must not be reduced to partisanship, rather it must be seen as a national battle which must be won at all cost.
ALSO, the intention of the government to establish an Office of Special Prosecutor (OSP) to aid in the fight against corruption must be supported. However, Today wants to believe that the OSP will be truly independent so as to help break the monopoly exercised by the Attorney-General as the prosecutor.
THE OSP must also be seen to be responsible for initiating, investigating, and prosecuting cases of corruption involving public office holders, breaches of the Public Procurement Act, the Financial Administration Act, among others. Today again wants to believe that such initiatives will play no small part in our quest to fight the canker because it is incumbent upon us, and imperative that we root out corruption in the country by nipping it in the bud once and for all.
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