{"id":72662,"date":"2014-12-09T08:21:59","date_gmt":"2014-12-09T08:21:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/4cd.e16.myftpupload.com\/?p=72662"},"modified":"2014-12-09T08:33:15","modified_gmt":"2014-12-09T08:33:15","slug":"who-are-the-300-corrupt-persons-standing-trial-gii-queries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2014\/12\/who-are-the-300-corrupt-persons-standing-trial-gii-queries\/","title":{"rendered":"Who are the 300 corrupt persons standing trial? – GII queries"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) has downplayed government\u2019s claim of prosecuting over 300 people for various corrupt acts.<\/p>\n

The Executive Director, Vitus Azeem told Citi News<\/strong>, it is not enough for the President to just announce the number of persons who are being prosecuted without further details.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t know the type of corrupt acts that they are being prosecuted on and it\u2019s important to know,\u201d he complained.<\/p>\n

[contextly_sidebar id=”wXK51VHEiazh1GDc3uAMto0niisZkIZG”]President John Mahama on Monday revealed that over 300 individuals are being prosecuted<\/strong> <\/span><\/a>for their involvement in various acts of corruption.<\/p>\n

This follows increasing calls on the Mahama-led administration to effectively tackle issues of corruption which has become a bane to the nation\u2019s development.<\/p>\n

According to the President, the over 300 persons facing prosecution is an indication of government\u2019s determination to win the battle against corruption.<\/p>\n

However, in an interview with Citi News,<\/strong> the anti-graft campaigner insisted that prosecuting little acts of corruption to the neglect of the various high profile corruption cases which have rocked the country in recent times is unfortunate.<\/p>\n

According to him, the GII has always \u201cemphasized the high profile cases; the GYEEDA\u2019s [Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Authority] and the SADA\u2019s [Savannah Accelerated Development Authority]; they involve a lot of money.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr. Azeem remarked that prosecuting persons \u201cfor Ghs 10,000 or Ghs 20,000 and you count them, that is a bit unfortunate.\u201d<\/p>\n

He further blamed the government for failing to update Ghanaians on measures it is taking to prosecute and curb acts of corruption in the country.<\/p>\n

This, he said, gives credence to the seeming perception that the government is failing to tackle issues of corruption.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s partly their fault. They don\u2019t let us know what they are doing. When you come and just make such a general statement that 300 people are being prosecuted, how do we know whether it is true or not?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

Mr. Azeem advised that the government must devise mechanisms through which the public will be informed on \u201cwhat you are doing, how many people are being prosecuted and for what offences.\u201d<\/p>\n

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By: Efua Idan Osam\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana
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