The former Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Prof Stephen Adei, once again stated that corruption is destroying Ghana.
Prof Adei, who recently criticised President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for corrupt practices at the Ministry of Roads and Industry, however, indicated corruption in Ghana is not limited to Akufo-Addo’s government or the roads ministry.
He indicated that several studies have shown that corruption is every in the public service of Ghana, 3news.com reports.
“And it is not a phenomenon limited to the Akufo-Addo regime, nor the Ministry of Roads which the Honourable Amoako Atta himself said is full of ‘thieves.'
“The recent disturbing new dimension about corruption in Ghana is that, now, in 67% of the cases, according to the 2022 United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime report on corruption in Ghana, the public officials in Ghana demand the bribe bold-facedly upfront,” he is quoted to have said.
He disclosed that his recent outburst about corruption in the Akufo-Addo government was after a relation narrated their ordeal at the road ministry.
“That is all I illustrated with the case of the Ministry of Roads because someone that week had cried to me that such a demand was made to him,” Prof Adei added.
What Prof Adei said about corruption at the road ministry:
Speaking in a TV3 interview shared on X on October 20, 2023, Prof Adei indicated that President Akufo-Addo has dashed the hopes of Ghanaians who had the hope that he was going to really transform the country.
He added that if nothing changes with the period left for Akufo-Addo to leave office, he would go down as one of the worst presidents the country has ever had.
“One of the greatest disappointments of Nana Akufo-Addo’s regime is that honestly, he raised the hope of Ghanaians. Ghanaians expected that they have gotten a leader with a vision, with the charisma, with the determination and it seems if he doesn’t redeem himself in the next 14 months, he would go down in history as one of the most disappointing leaders," he said.
The former chairman of the NDPC indicated that what gets to him the most is “the corruption, the arrogance".
"They think that Ghana is for them and without them, Ghana would not be there. And even some of them think they can tell us who should be our next president. God forbid!” he added.
He said that the president should be ashamed of himself if he is aware of the shady deals going on in his government.
“This road contract would be given to you, provided you put one million upfront, not after you have gotten the money. This is what Akufo-Addo must be thinking about and if he knows about it, he must be ashamed.
“That now his people demand from you a certain amount before you would be considered for a job. Why? Because when they get it, whether the government pays you or not they have gotten their money. It is as if people are in a hurry to loot the country before the end of Akufo-Addo’s term,” he added.
BAI/SARA
Watch the latest episode of Everyday People below: