Political scientist and lecturer at the University of Ghana, Dr. Kwame Asah-Asante, has criticized the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) for its promise to fight corruption in its manifesto for the 2024 general elections.

Speaking during an interview on JoyNews on Monday, September 2, 2024, Dr. Asah-Asante argued that the NPP lacks the credibility to make such promises, given that corruption has worsened under its governance despite earlier pledges to tackle the issue when the party was in opposition.

“There are some policies that you know they can’t deliver on. Take the issue of corruption. Let’s place it at the doorstep of the NPP. They claim they will fight corruption, but for me, it’s empty talk because charity begins at home. Today, despite all the president’s promises, corruption has reached its lowest ebb, tarnishing the government’s reputation. The Transparency International report is clear on this issue,” Dr. Asah-Asante stated.

He further questioned why the NPP, particularly Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, is not addressing corruption now instead of waiting until after the elections. “If Dr. Bawumia can do anything about corruption, it should be now. He shouldn’t wait until he gets power. He’s not a driver’s mate; he’s a spare driver, so he must be able to do something,” he added.

Dr. Asah-Asante emphasized that corruption is a key factor influencing voter decisions in Ghana and an important governance indicator. He referenced the Ghana Integrity Initiative’s report that corruption costs the nation over $8 billion annually, a stark contrast to the $3 billion sought from the IMF. “If we can tackle corruption, we can do ourselves a lot of good,” he noted.

The lecturer also critiqued the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) for its similar shortcomings, stating that the party must also answer for its failures to combat corruption during its time in office.

On the issue of illegal small-scale mining, or galamsey, Dr. Asah-Asante described the NPP’s promises to address the issue as “laughable,” given the extensive damage it continues to cause. He pointed out that the Ghana Water Company has struggled to secure enough raw water for processing due to galamsey activities, leaving many households without drinking water.

“What has the government done? And they want to wait until when to address this? That’s a laughable statement to me,” Dr. Asah-Asante remarked.

Additionally, he criticized both the NPP and NDC for their silence on what they plan to do with the many abandoned projects across the country, stressing that these uncompleted projects are a significant drain on national resources.

BAI/OGB

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