The Akufo-Addo government may pay dearly in the coming years if nothing is done to correct the perception being created in the minds of Ghanaians following the numerous corruption allegations that have been leveled against the New Patriotic Party administration.
The first year of the New Patriotic Party’s administration has been rocked by a number of corruption allegations including the BOST contaminated fuel scandal, allegations of corruption by A-Plus against the two deputy chiefs of staff, allegations of conflict of interest against the Finance Minister over the issuance of a Bond, and recently the allocation of GHc800, 000 for the creation of a website for the Special Development Ministry.
According to Franklin Cudjoe, President of IMANI, such perceptions may sink the Akufo-Addo government if pragmatic measures are not put in place immediately to correct the impression of corruption against a president who promised to protect the public purse.
Speaking on Citi FM’s news analysis programme, The Big Issue on Saturday, Franklin Cudjoe noted that, Ghana’s political landscape thrives on “a lot of hot air and a lot of allegations,” adding that due to this, despite the good things done or being done by a government “what tends to happen is that, allegations of corruption actually swells at some point, and swallows the government irrespective of how well they are doing.”
“And I think if care is not taken, in spite of the yet to be proven allegations of corruption within this [NPP] administration, it is the perception of people that may eventually sink the administration if they don’t take care. That has been the trajectory in this country. In instances where they’ve even been proven…you end up having government appointees defending what I call the indefensible. So for me, the perception is what we really need to be dealing with. Unfortunately, with corruption, perception seems to be the reality,” he added.
Mr. Cudjoe made the remark when panelists on The Big Issue were reviewing President Akufo-Addo’s first year in office.
He noted that although the macroeconomic indicators look good, “If they [NPP government] don’t take care, these allegations of corruption which incidentally are mostly emanating from their own camp are the ones that will sink them.”
GHc800,000 website row
There is currently intense pressure from the Minority in Parliament for the Minister of Special Development Initiatives, Mavis Hawa Koomson, to resign following revelations that her ministry intends to blow GHc800,000 on the creation of a website.
Her Ministry had requested for about GHc1 billion to undertake a number of projects including warehouses, boreholes, procurement of ambulances and vehicles, among other things.
But the GHc800, 000 budget request for the creation of a website has caused public uproar, with the Minority accusing the government of negligence.
False corruption claims will not distract us
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in responding to these accusations of corruption which he described as attempts to tarnish his government, said they will not be distracted by the claims.
He feels there have “been systematic efforts to try and tag [his] government with corruption.”
Speaking at at Kyebi during his tour of the Eastern Region, the President stressed that attempts to falsely accuse his hardworking officials of corruption will not deter him from carrying out his mandate.
Nana Addo’s appointees showing signs of corruption – Rev. Martey
This comes on the back of an observation made by former Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Reverend Professor Emmanuel Martey, who said some officials of the NPP administration, are already showing signs of corruption.
The man, who blatantly criticized officials of the erstwhile Mahama administration for being corrupt and having mismanaged the country, appears to be turning the heat on the Akufo-Addo administration.
Source: Citi fm
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Franklin must know it's corrupt NDC that's trying hard to equalizes it corruption tag with this gov't but it won't work because Ghanaian know those who're truly corrupt.Remember also that as very young as this gov't is,it's doing everything to deal with the menace...You are fond of criticizing needlessly,and you talk as if all must be well overnight.
This gentleman knows what he is talking about. It's the perception and allegations of corruption that sent NDC home. He is talking from experience. Most Ghanaians tend to buy allegations of corruption because they cannot make ends meet. When they hear of this news they tell themselves we voted for them and now they are enjoying at our expense, therefore we would show them. It could happen in 2020. No matter tangible developments under Mahama people voted against him because of allegations of corruption.
Mr Cudjoe you are are corrupt and very corrupt. Does it make you corrupt just by my saying so? Perceptions are always there but are they backed by facts? If you think perception can hurt Nana's government then start educating Ghanaians that they should look for evidence and not just perceive!!
Mr Cudjoe at one point during the ndc time we heard you were being paid by Mahama to ***barred word***, hence you stopped criticizing them so if they have employed you to throw dust into the eyes of Ghanaians by way of corruption when there is no corruption, when they can't produce any evidence but just by mouth and press conferences it won't wash. We know them and those regions who voted against the ndc have an adage in their language which attributes what the ndc are doing so are not perturbed but have confidence in the NPP administration to deliver. We have a saying that a drunkard expect everyone to be also drunk to equalize and that's what ndc are doing and such people with big mouths who collected monies from John mahama and promised to help him retain his seat which back fired. In any case, Mr Cudjoe Ghana of yesteryear of deceit, propaganda and lies to come to power is gone, we are now I'm Ghana of development, action to move the country forward, if you are afraid your friends in the ndc have no chance again to come back to power so you are bringing this to muddy things then find something else to do for that party will never come back to power, whether NPP are corrupt or not ndc is not coming back. NPP corruption has a change for others to use but ndc corruption doesn't leave even a farthing for their own footsoldiers to use so we prefer a corruption with good policies to a corruption with insults, propaganda, impunity, arrogance, selfishness, wickedness, greediness and disrespectful to create, l000t and share. Ndc has no cause to brand others as corrupt with no evidence just because they will be prosecuted and jailed so yen nyinaa abo p3 syndrome. Whether corruption or no corruption ndc past officials who did evil to this nation will be prosecuted and if they have any evidence of corruption of this government Ghanaians will be happy for them to send them also to court or else ndc must sh*t up.
Point of correction-- mr. Cudjoe. If this government sinks, its Ghana that sinks not individual members of this government.
No, Franklin, Ghanaians know the kind of people the Ndc are and would not fall for their propaganda. They tried their corruption tag on Boakye Agyarko, on the two deputies of staff, on the ceo of Bost, on the Trade ministry: all of these fell by the way side and majority of the people know the ndc by their fruits. They stir the pool of water at one end and come to the other end to complain of the dirt in the water. You see how cynical they are,uncle Franklin Cudjoe?
IF NANA ADDO GOVERNMENT FAILS THEN THERE IS NO HOPE FOR GHANA. WE SAW WHAT HAPPENED UNDER MAHAMA, DAY LIGHT ROBBERY BY MAHAMA AND HIS FAMILY, ROBBING THE STATE, PAYING DUBIOUS JUDGEMENT DEBT, MAHAMA WIFE TOOK MONEY TO SUPPLY FERTILIZER WITHOUT SUPPLYING NOT EVEN A BAG FROM COCOBOARD. MAHAMA HIMSELF COLLECTING FORD CAR FROM CONTRACTOR. IF NANA FAILS THEN GHANA IS DOOMED FOR EVER. WHICH POLITICIAN IS SELFLESS LIKE NANA ADDO?SOMEONE SHOULD TELL ME IN GHANA?