The leadership of the Progressive People�s Party (PPP) has stated that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) are not committed towards fighting corruption in the country.
According to the National Chairman of the PPP, Nii-Alottey Brew-Hammond, the party is not happy that the country loses GH� 4 billion annually to corruption, as stated in the Auditor-General�s report in 2013.
That amount, he said, could be used to transform lives of ordinary Ghanaians.
Nii-Allottey Brew-Hammond made this remark and more on Ghana Great and Strong- a weekend programme that is aired live on Ghana�s premier internet-based radio, www.hedjorleonlineradio.com�s in Accra last Saturday, December 4, 2014.
Dr. Kwabena Adjei, NDC National Chairman
Dr. Kwabena Adjei, NDC National Chairman
In his estimation, Ghanaians managed to have a merry Christmas, adding that the weak nature of Parliament has made it impossible for Ghanaians to make the presidency accountable.
He said the two parties- NPP and NDC- have been a great �disappointment� to Ghanaians and the electorate.
On his party�s anti-corruption demonstrations, Mr. Brew-Hammond said it has had the Young Patriots of the NPP and representatives of other parties sending representatives.
He said a petition was sent to President Mahama who in turn assured them that the matter will be sent to Parliament for debate and approval once the Constitutional Review Implementation Committee (CRIC) finishes its work.
Again, he said a similar petition was sent to the Council of State, which said, they will confer with the president and advise him accordingly.
The PPP national chairman therefore used the opportunity to announce that the party�s Central Regional anti-corruption demonstration will come off on January 11, 2014 in Cape Coast.
PPP National Women�s Leader, who was also on the programme, Ms. Berlinda Bulley, stressed that both the NDC and the NPP under the Fourth Republic have not instituted any measures whatsoever to fight corruption.
She added that certain consent has been manufactured among Ghanaians which project the two parties [NDC and NPP] as dominant. As a result, views expressed by the �smaller parties� are disregarded by the populace.
She went on to say that per the legacy of the two parties, they have lost the moral right to question each other�s action and have rather resorted to trivialities.
Ms. Bulley recounted how successful and impactful the demonstrations have been.
She said the demonstrations are a wake-up call on the country�s leadership since it shows that Ghanaians are finally waking up.
She went on to add that people have also taken to the social media to express their views on the demonstrations.
Answering questions on how different the PPP was from other parties, Convener for the PPP-led Anti-Corruption Coalition, Mr. William Dowokpor, said Ghana�s governance system promotes corruption.
He said the PPP is not pessimistic like others are, adding that the party is interested in embarking on reforms however �I feel that leadership is key to that course.�
Mr. Dowokpor further said prior to the 2012 polls, the PPP leadership embarked on a campaign of incorruptible leadership with its leader [Dr. Nduom] declaring his assets unlike the other parties whose leaders pretended as though nothing was at stake.
The host of the programme, Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom, used the platform to remind listeners of some key promises that President John Dramani Mahama made at last year�s [2013] State of the Nation�s address in Parliament.
The PPP also charged that the following reforms be carried out �for the evolution of our governance system and for rapid socio economic development.�
�Removing the �hand� of the Executive (Presidency) from the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies, through popular election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) by the people.
Turning the Office of Attorney-General into an Independent Prosecutor�s Office separate from the Ministry of Justice so that the Office is removed from the negative influence of partisan politics; and separating the Legislature (Parliament) from the Executive (Presidency) so that effective checks and balance can operate without fear or favor.�
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