President Akufo-Addo believes the Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu, will “put the fear of God” in corrupt public officers.
He said although he does not expect Martin Amidu to entirely root out the phenomenon of corruption in public office, he is certain that his work will assure public officers that they will not be prosecuted based on their political affiliation.
“I do not expect that he [Martin Amidu] will provide all the answers for dealing with the phenomenon of corruption by public officials, but I do believe that at the least, the office will remove the fear of partisan prosecution and put the fear of God in all public officials who are intending to go on the path of corruption,” he said.
In an address before taking questions from journalists today [Wednesday], on the first year of his government, Akufo-Addo reiterated his administration’s commitment to fighting public sector corruption, adding that he had done better in addressing the phenomenon than his predecessor, John Mahama.
“It is important to note that in my first year of office, two separate bipartisan probes have been established to inquire into allegations of corruption as against zero in the Mahama years despite the persistent calls by the then minority…. I have a greater interest in my appointees not being corrupt than any critic could possibly have. Try me, produce evidence to back the allegation, and see what the reaction will be,” he said.
President Akufo-Addo last Thursday named the former Attorney General Martin Amidu, a man who has earned the nickname ‘Citizen Vigilante’ for his no-nonsense stance and campaign against corruption as his choice for Special Prosecutor to deal with corruption in the country.
The appointment was in fulfillment of a campaign promises of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as a way of dealing with corruption among government officials which many believe was responsible for former president John Mahama’s defeat in the 2016 presidential poll.
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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana