President John Mahama has dismissed assertions that African governments are not doing enough to fight corruption in their countries.<\/p>\n
President Mahama believes that \u201cvarious countries are pursuing the fight against corruption in various ways.\u201d<\/p>\n
President Mahama’s government has come under criticism for its inability to fight corruption.<\/p>\n
[contextly_sidebar id=”HCsyhmZkWbPXx71ZwNeg7h2Qov8RXIEs”]Reports indicate contracts awarded under the Savannah Accelerated Authority (SADA) and other local government projects were not executed but the contractors were paid millions of Cedis.<\/p>\n
The increase in corruption reports has outraged Ghanaians\u00a0with\u00a0many calling on government to urgently investigate and prosecute those found guilty.<\/p>\n
President Mahama was contributing to a panel discussion on the issue of growth in Africa at the opening of the Africa Global Forum in Dubai.<\/p>\n
He posited that the lack of resources is however, hindering efforts of African leaders to fight the canker in their respective countries.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe all have institutions that are mandated to investigate corruption. To a varying extent, one of the major\u00a0 issues will be resourcing them adequately to be able to do that\u201d<\/p>\n
Mahama further asked African countries to devise transparent measures to deal with the canker.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs specific to each country, you must have the mechanisms to fight corruption and I believe in doing that you need to put in place the mechanisms that will create for more transparency\u201d<\/p>\n
He also emphasized the need for African countries to place the fight against corruption above other major projects.<\/p>\n
\u201cOften when you have a budget that has so many competing interests; you have to build clinics to provide healthcare and prevent mothers from dying, you have to provide classrooms for children , then you spread the budget across a wide spectrum of things but certainly the fight against corruption is important.\u201d<\/p>\n
The recent case to hit the country involved the\u00a0Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice(CHRAJ) Boss, Lauretta Lamptey who spent\u00a0$200,000 on rent<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>alone.<\/p>\n Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, the Majority Leader in Parliament, alleged that his colleagues take bribes<\/strong><\/span><\/a> to do the bidding of various groups and individuals.<\/p>\n Apart from Ghana, high-level corruption cases have been reported by local media in Namibia<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/span>, Nigeria among others.<\/p>\n President John Dramani Mahama, in May, however called for the de-politicization of corruption in Africa<\/strong><\/span><\/a>, saying, that the issue should rather be tackled impartially in order to find a lasting solution.<\/p>\n He said the use of corruption to score political points, whether in government or in opposition, should be discouraged to pave way for objective and impartial conversations on the issue for the development and growth of the African continent.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n By: Marian Efe Ansah\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana
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