General News of Thursday, 19 November 2020

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

One allows you to fight, another fights you – Manasseh on Mahama, Akufo-Addo’s corruption fight

President Akufo-Addo and John Mahama are contesting in the 2020 elections for NPP & NDC respectively President Akufo-Addo and John Mahama are contesting in the 2020 elections for NPP & NDC respectively

Ace investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has settled the scores on the tolerance level of the John Dramani Mahama-led-government and the current Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government towards anti-corruption campaigners in the fight against corruption.

The celebrated journalist, made this statement when commenting on the resignation of Mr. Martin Amidu as Special Prosecutor and if the move by the former Attorney General could affect the ruling government in the December 7 elections.

“It could be for those who still had hopes in the President of Akufo-Addo to fight corruption but those whose eyes opened early enough; this shouldn’t come as a surprise,” he said in a panel discussion on Citi TV.

But to Manasseh, the focus shouldn't be on how Amidu's resignation could affect the New Patriotic Party's chances of winning the December, 7 elections but on how it has become difficult to fight corruption under this regime.

He stated that though the former President, John Dramani Mahama, did very little in the fight against corruption, anti-corruption campaigners had the freedom to operate during his era.

“But my worry goes beyond the elections; some foreign ambassadors said last year that those fighting against corruption in this country are being fought and that where the problem is.”

“Mahama was terrible in the fight against corruption but in his era, there was that freedom to fight. Now the Auditor General is gone because he dared to touch Osafo-Maafo, Martin Amidu is gone because he dared to touch Agyapa, and those of us who are journalists, if we could be truthful to ourselves, it's hasn’t been easy these past four years.”

“So, if you cannot fight corruption, at least allow others to do their part. If you are doing ‘Di Bi Na Me Di Bi’ allow others to do ‘Ka Bi Na Menka Bi’,” he concluded.