Accra, May 23, GNA - The President of Chartered Institute of Accountants, (Ghana), Mr Daniel Tettey Acquaye on Monday underscored the need for those who alleged corrupt practices to provide concrete evidence to substantiate their claims.

"Of course, he who alleges must prove to allow critical investigations to be carried out to unearth the perpetrators," he intimated.

Mr Acquaye said this at the launch of the 2005 Accountants Week celebration in Accra, which will be marked under the theme: "Corruption and National Development" to afford the participants the opportunity to examine the institutional framework available for the prevention, detection and control of corruption.

Mr. Acquaye noted that accountants being major players in the national economy are mindful of Ghana's ranking of 63rd on the 2004 corruption index provided by Transparency International and that the Institute aims at finding suitable measures to improve upon the country's position.

"We want to identify the nature of corruption and its implications on the national economy, examine the institutions of state as well as the legal instruments available to curb the act."

He said the institution believed that the debate on corruption ought to be undressed of all its cloak of emotionalism and perception, adding, "it should be centred on the core issues of prevention, detection and control."

Mr. Acquaye observed that good governance was a catalyst in the eradication of corrupt practices and urged all actors in the fight against corruption to ensure that they appeared clean.

He said as part of the institution's contribution towards effective financial reporting, it had instituted Financial Journalism Award Scheme to motivate reporters who fell within that scope of work. Mr Acquaye also indicated that the institution had provided 15 million dollars to the University Of Ghana to award students who performed creditably well in business courses.