The Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA) has placed the National Democratic Congress (NDC) ahead of their rivals the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as far as the fight against corruption in the country is concerned.
“Looking at what the NDC did on corruption, the NDC is far better than that of the NPP in the fight,” Executive Director Mensah Thompson said.
According to ASEPA, the current government led by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has not taken any good step or made any attempt that gives Ghanaians confidence that indeed they are fighting against corruption.
A report by the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) which is a local chapter of Transparency International, reveals that Ghana loses US$3billion to corruption annually.
Meanwhile, the famous Agyapa royalties deal which the country is struggling to seal is not half of what it loses to corruption.
In finding a lasting solution to this, the NPP during the 2016 electioneering campaign made corruption one of its flagship promises, stressing that it will deal with it immediately after winning power.
However, according to ASEPA, the story has changed and the party has all of a sudden stopped mentioning its resolve to fight corruption.
Speaking on Akoma FM in Kumasi in an interview monitored by MyNewsGh.com, Mr. Mensah noted that, the NPP’s manifesto in 2016 whiles in opposition, mentioned corruption 56 times but in the 2020 manifesto, they mentioned corruption just 2 times. The NDC, on the other hand, mentioned corruption 22 times in 2012, and in the 2020 manifesto, they mentioned it about 27 times.
“Usually, party in opposition talks much about corruption”, he noted.
Speaking on corruption scandals that hit both parties while in government and how each party handled them, Mr. Mensah said that, with the bus branding scandal of the NDC, the then minister for transport resigned, while the money refunded.
The issue of SADA and GYEEDA scandals, money paid to individuals under the contract were retrieved most of the contracts were cancelled while the whole agency was reformed.
With the Ford Expedition scandal, the then President John Mahama was investigated by the Commission on Human Rights Administration Justice (CHRAJ).
“On the side of the NPP, the scandal of BOST contaminated fuel saga, the MD was cleared and till date, a report by on the case has not been made known yet National Security went ahead to clear the MD. There has not been any report of the famous Ameri scandal. There has also not been any report on Cash for Seat scandal while none of those involved have been indicted”. Mr. Mensah insisted.
With regards to the Australian Visa scandal, GH¢80,000 for website among many other things, ASEPA insisted that, the NPP has done nothing to show that indeed they mean to fight corruption in the country.