President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo must step up the fight against corruption as he promised to do during the 2016 electoral campaign, Linda Ofori-Kwafo, Executive Director of the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), has said.

According to her, many Ghanaians have confidence in Mr Akufo-Addo to fight the canker and believe Ghana will be doomed if he fails to deal with it during his tenure.

Speaking on the Executive Breakfast Show (EBS) on Class91.3FM on Tuesday 18 July ahead of the president’s encounter with the press at the Flagstaff House, Mrs Ofori-Kwafo was of the opinion that Nana Akufo-Addo has not done much to fight corruption in the first six months of his government.

She noted that Mr Akufo-Addo has no excuse and should not succumb to pressure from corrupt persons in his government to not fight the menace.

“The president knew what he was coming in for when he campaigned on anti-corruption promises and committed so much to fight corruption… if you have to deal with corruption for your party to sink, he is a man of integrity. He should stand by his words. Which is more important: you the individual getting richer and the entire nation not succeeding and your own campaign message not coming on? Is that what he’s looking on? I think the issue is bigger than one individual and the president should be able to deal with the canker. We are in support of the commitment that he has made, but we want to see the action,” she told show host Moro Awudu.

She continued: “Corruption is a crime and we cannot cover up for anybody. He’s been a former Attorney General, he knows what it is to deal with the canker. He knew it when he was campaigning and making the promises and people have voted for him for that. If there are individuals in his party who are corrupt and are afraid to sink, they shouldn’t be asking the president not to deal with the matter. We, civil society organisation and individuals, are very much aware. We are looking forward to a president that can deal with the canker. Some have said if Nana Akufo-Addo fails us in dealing with corruption then Ghana we are dead.

We will not be able to address the matter again. Individuals are becoming more enlightened and will not sit down for this to happen. Very soon people will be on the streets advocating that individuals to be dealt with. So if there are people in his government engaging in corruption, this is the time that he has to show that he is really committed to the fight and deal with such people.”