Former President John Mahama has said no journalist will be persecuted or hounded and killed for exposing corruption under his presidency should he win the 2020 general elections.

In his message to mark International Anti-Corruption Day, Mr Mahama said: “I stand #unitedagainstcorruption”, adding: “Let us make a determined commitment to take action, lead the change and be the change in our country’s fight against corruption and nepotism”.

Fighting corruption, the flag bearer of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) said, “requires genuine and collective efforts, particularly from political leaders”.

“As we have demonstrated in the past, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) will make no excuses in this fight.

“Sadly, recent surveys are confirming that we are losing the fight against corruption. This is a worry to the majority of Ghanaians.

“We shall protect the rights of our people to expose corruption and undertake to investigate credible allegations that come to our attention.

“No journalist will be killed, live in fear or flee the country because of their investigative reporting”, he promised.

Mr Mahama also said: “We will strengthen and make the anti-corruption agencies work without fear or favour”.

In his view, “If we are to win the fight against corruption, the government must stop making excuses as a coverup for the increasing cases of corruption”.

He said: “President Akufo-Addo's practice of ‘clearing’ corrupt appointees and hampering investigations must stop”.

“As we work together toward the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the anti-corruption fight will become a major instrument for the achievement of our objectives. Let us take a decisive stand against corruption and nepotism. I invite all Ghanaians to stand #unitedagainstcorruption”, he wrote on Facebook.