Concerns about governments' response to corruption cases

Accra, Feb. 8, GNA - The Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), the local chapter of Transparency International (TI), on Tuesday expressed disappointment at the response of both past and present governments to cases of corruption.

It specifically referred to audit reports released by the Auditor-General and media reports, including investigative journalists such as Anas Aremeyaw Anas, on the continued leakage of public resources, either through deliberate stealing and fraud or through failure of persons paid from the public purse to prevent such leakages.

In a statement released in Accra in the ongoing debate on corruption in the country, GII commended the Committee for Joint Action (CJA) on its call on government to act promptly on the recent audit reports released by the Auditor-General.

"GII strongly demands that all arms of government play their roles effectively and in a more patriotic way in ensuring that Ghana's limited resources are better used for the benefit of the majority of Ghanaians to reduce poverty and its accompanying hardships.

"Specifically, GII will like to express its grave concern about the Auditor-General's concerns that the findings in his reports keep recurring on an annual basis and wonders why governments in the past and present are unable to deal with the individuals and institutions that are involved in these malfeasance and sometimes naked stealing."

The current debate has been triggered by an explosive investigative report by journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas that unearthed rot at the Tema Port which forced President John Evans Atta Mills to storm the Port where he had hard words for customs officials and clearing agents.

GII said it was particularly worried that even in cases where there was video coverage of fraudulent acts by public officials and thieving private "businessmen and businesswomen", the government was unable or failed to= get professional and committed public prosecutors to handle these cases.

"In fact, many Ghanaians are left with no choice than to conclude that such inaction is a result of lack of interest which is attributable to corruption.

"On the basis of these frustrations, GII calls on the President, His Excellency J.E.A. Mills, to take immediate steps to recover all monies that have been reported missing, misapplied, stolen or paid to 91ghosts' by the Auditor-General's audit reports. We further call on the President to get the individuals involved arrested, investigated and, if found culpable, prosecuted."

With regard to the revelations from Anas' investigations, GII said it was not enough for the President to visit the harbour and express anger at what has been revealed.

"What has been revealed is something that many importers and ordinary citizens go through on a daily basis and something that many Ghanaians know or suspect to be happening.

"The President should, therefore, go beyond expressing anger and acton the revelations. Transfers are not a solution to the problem because these acts do not take place only at the Tema harbour and transfers are an administrative action that builds organizations.

"As to assets declaration, the Constitution provides for this and there is already a law that requires certain categories of public officials to declare their assets.

"Unfortunately, the President has not been able to ensure that his Ministers declare their assets on a timely basis. What is important is calling for an independent verification of declared assets a result, GII calls on Parliament for the amendment of assets declaration law."

GII said there was a need for more action to ensure that those involved were severely punished, lost monies recovered and that these acts did not take place in the future.

"The mechanisms put in place and institutions established for collecting taxes at the harbour and other entry points and individuals appointed and paid from the public purse to ensure that these taxes are collected efficiently must operate efficiently and effectively."

GII said heads who failed to play their roles effectively must give way to other persons who were more concerned and patriotic to play these roles more seriously and effectively so as to ensure that national revenue collection is maximised.

GII said it was worried that the revelations could not have been made earlier.

"Heads of these institutions, both at the national level and Tema harbour level, that have failed to uncover these acts which occurred over a six-month period must resign or be fired by the President," it said.

It said the nagging questions in the minds of many Ghanaians were: How many times do these heads move out of their offices in Accra to visit the harbours and other points of entry? How many of such acts have been uncovered by these heads through their own security mechanisms? How many of these uncovered acts have been sanctioned. How possible was it for a journalist to uncover these corrupt acts whiles state institutions failed to do so?"

It said sceptics might even attribute the inaction of the officials appointed to head these institutions to the fact that they could be beneficiaries of these malpractices.

It said heads and their immediate subordinates must not only declare their assets but be investigated and, if found to have been negligent, be sanctioned.

"GII further wishes to state that the exemptions of the President from virtually all forms of taxes are too broad and unnecessary. This is why they are abused by unscrupulous officials linked to the Presidency. "We call on the President to initiate action to drastically reduce these exemptions and put in place measures to halt the abuses. The Constitution Review Committee should also examine these exemptions as contained in the Constitution and recommend the removal or reduction of these exemptions," GII said.