THE PPP Challenge To Presidential Candidates On Corruption – Make A Personal Commitment!

The Progressive People’s Party (PPP) has thrown an important challenge to the aspiring Presidential Candidates for the 2012 election. The PPP has dedicated itself to a cause that is a crucial pre-requisite for lasting peace and prosperity – a crusade against corruption and an undying commitment to fundamental change in Ghana. This is not politics as usual. The PPP is asking our leaders – politicians, businessmen and women, lawyers, MPs, Ministers of State, senior journalists and others to make a personal commitment to the principle of incorruptible leadership in a very practical sense.
Specifically, the PPP has thrown a challenge to all Presidential Candidates to make a firm commitment to the principle of incorruptible leadership. Incorruptible leadership is practical leadership that cannot be perverted, bribed, or corrupted. It is honest and just. It is this incorruptible integrity the party is referring to. Those who respond to the challenge are serious. And those who refuse are the ones playing political games with the future of our people.
The Progressive People’s Party (PPP) is fully committed to provide what Ghana needs today – COMPETENCE and INCORRUPTIBLE LEADERSHIP. It is only the PPP and the bright red sun that can provide the Change Ghana Needs. The changes to the constitution we have committed to sponsor and the unprecedented transparency we will provide is proof that we are the only political party 100% dedicated to bringing true progress, peace and prosperity to our people.
We know that all manner of people, particularly propagandists and beneficiaries of state-sponsored corruption have taken us on. But we will not be deterred. Indeed, we welcome the insults, the abuse from those who want the nation to remain in the rot, the corruption so that their selfish interests can be met. We will not be part of blame game of who has done what and who is worse than the other. We are humans and as such we may have made mistakes. But we are not afraid to commit ourselves to a higher principle and the truth about what is killing our people.
Our Presidential Candidate, Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom has demonstrated his commitment to the principle of incorruptible leadership by making the following promises:
1. He will ask the Internal Revenue Service to provide me with certified true copies of his income tax returns so that he can release them to the public soon as he files nominations papers to officially become a candidate for the 2012 presidential election.
2. He will ask the Auditor-General to provide me with certified true copies of the assets report that he filed as a Minister of State and Member of Parliament and release them to the public as soon as he files nomination papers to officially become a candidate for the 2012 presidential election.
3. The PPP National Treasurer will release to the public our financial report that includes the sources of funding for our national campaign and certify our compliance with the Political Parties Law as soon as he files nominations papers to officially become a candidate for the 2012 election. We simply cannot trust and should never vote for any political party in Ghana that does not disclose the sources of its funding. We all need to know if people, foreign or local will be looking for inflated contracts or judgment debts to pay back the funds they used to finance a political campaign.
So the challenge is on. Some propagandists and apologists of presidential aspirants are all over the airwaves claiming that this is what is done already and it is the law. If so, let the presidential aspirants come and disclose and make the relevant documents public so the people can be the judges of their actions. It is not enough for people to sit at radio, television studios and at home to claim that they are not corrupt or there is nothing new in what the PPP is asking our presidential aspirants to do. We are not accusing anyone of being corrupt. All we are saying is, let those who want to lead do so from the front and show a personal commitment that can be emulated by the rest.
Transparency, accountability, the truth and personal discipline are needed if we want to move Ghana into a higher level of performance and give our people the opportunity to enjoy a world class standard of living in our lifetime.
For the avoidance of doubt, we emphasize the point that our current government systems and culture enable corruption to fester. The Jewish Torah sermonizes that "…he who leaves the pantry door open for the mouse to steal the cheese is the one responsible and accountable for the theft." If the system is bad, it is the responsibility of the leaders to fix it and not just throw their hands in the air and blame their subordinates.
This is the true character of the PPP – respect, discipline, positive energy and committed to incorruptible leadership. In our short period of existence, the PPP has sworn to work with great discipline and show respect to all Ghanaians including our political opponents. PPP’s colours are red and white. The white colour stands for discipline, purity and incorruptible leadership and red means determination, assertiveness and strength of character. Our symbol, the bright red sun means life, hope and being wide Awake! We are ready to work in the supreme interest of our nation, Ghana.

Kofi Asamoah-Siaw
National Secretary, PP
11 October 2012