Accra, May 14, GNA - The National Democratic Congress on Thursday called for the arrest and prosecution of the former Speaker of Parliament, Mr Ebenezer Begyina Sekyi Hughes, for allegedly "looting property from his official residence upon leaving office". A statement signed by NDC General Secretary, Johnson Asiefu Nketiah, said the party's call was based on its anti-corruption agenda in its manifesto.

That portion of the manifesto reads: "An NDC government will not make any excuses for corrupt ministers, officials and office holders generally. We shall promptly investigate allegations of corruption and allow the law to take its course.Simply put, the NDC will make corruption a high risk activity for political and public office holders."

The NDC said it "strongly disagrees" with any suggestion that the former Speaker be allowed to go free after returning some of the items and paying for others since this would amount to "setting a bad precedence in our anti-corruption crusade".

"As a social democratic party, we maintain that all citizens of Ghana must be treated equally before the law. Stealing is stealing whether the item involved is a cock, cassava or state furniture," the NDC said.

The country has been jolted by reports that the former Speaker stripped his residence bare of furnishings on leaving office. However, the Speaker has said he was made to believe in communication with the Parliamentary Service Board that he could take the items. A Parliament ad-hoc committee has investigated the case and its report is to be submitted to the Parliamentary Service Board.