The Progressive People’s Party ( PPP) doubts the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) genuine commitment to the fight against corruption.
According to the PPP, the leaders of the NPP, including Nana Akufo-Addo, the 2016 flag bearer of the party, have rejected the key recommendations that would reform the current governance system which has been facilitating corruption in Ghana.
A statement signed by Mr Kofi Asamoah-Siaw, National Secretary of the PPP, stated that ‘’ the NPP cannot reject these fundamental changes that will reduce the opportunities and rewards for corruption and turn round to speak against corruption at demonstrations.’’
Leading members of the NPP, including the National Chairman, Mr Paul Afoko, and Members of Parliament, joined the Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG) demonstration on Wednesday.
Speaking on the AFAG demonstration, the PPP said the leadership of the NPP should realise that they did not have the right of an automatic successor to an incompetent National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration that had also refused to deal with the numerous cases or instances of corruption.
The PPP statement, therefore, asked the NPP to embrace fundamental changes to the governance system to demonstrate a clear and present commitment to the fight against corruption.
“Partaking in a demonstration ostensibly organised by AFAG is at best a political move that increases the tone of cacophony in our national discourse,’’ the PPP stated.
The PPP reminded the NPP of key reform agenda which sought to address the structural inefficiencies inherent in the governance system that fed and promoted state sponsored corruption.
It mentioned the need for the separation of the Ministry of Justice from the Office of Attorney-General.
Political parties, the PPP stressed, should also advocate the strict separation of Parliament and the executive to ensure proper separation of powers which guaranteed accountability and effective division of labour.
Public Declaration of Assets by all Public Officers, including the President, the PPP said, could assist in checking corruption in the country.
The PPP statement also called for the election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives without the interference of the President as well as electoral reforms, including the use of electronic voting and abolition of the use of polling agents to prevent rigging at the polling stations.
The PPP statement expressed the belief that “we must all join hands to stop the creating, looting and sharing of taxpayers money through the implementation of these key reforms.”
It also called on political parties to condemn the use of state resources to fund the political campaign of political parties in government, and further called on all to join hands to stop the creating, looting and sharing of the country’s tax money.
Source: Graphic Online