General News of Friday, 3 February 2006

Source: --

Office of Accountability opens doors to public

The Chairman of the Office of accountability has insisted that he will remain vigilant and independent as he leads efforts to check corruption among government officials.

Professor Kwabena Konadu Oduro says his office will work with the media and all other informants to reduce corruption among government appointees.

President Kufuor established the office in 2003 as a watchdog agency for monitoring public officials.

Critics say it is not independent enough and that it is merely a fa?ade for government?s failure to check corruption. But Professor Oduro thinks otherwise.

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? We are going to rely on the Press mainly and other people who may inform us. When somebody has a complaint but do not have anything for anybody to go on with, then we would invite the press and the person to come to this office and tell us about it.

If he or she admits that he hasn?t got anything substantial we will then ask whoever brought the allegation to join us to look for evidence.

If for the first and second time that particular individual or group of individuals who had come to make a report refuse to join us to investigate properly, we will report their conduct to the head of their association, if not we will dismiss it,? he said.