Ghanaians pile pressure on leader Akufo-Addo to end graft

Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo speaking to the press after a meeting with his Ivory Coast counterpart at the presidential palace in Abidjan.  PHOTO | ISSOUF SANOGO | AFP

What you need to know:

  • President Nana Akufo-Addo and his administration have in recent weeks seen protesters take to the streets to raise awareness on corruption.

  • Ghana’s previous government under John Dramani Mahama was hit by a succession of corruption scandals, including in the judiciary.

ACCRA

The Ghanaian Government is facing growing calls to keep its promises after it won elections on a pledge to end corruption.

President Nana Akufo-Addo and his administration have in recent weeks seen protesters take to the streets to raise awareness on the issue.

In May, hundreds marched on the Economic and Organised Crime Office in Accra with a petition calling for the arrest and prosecution of offenders, and for stolen money to be returned.

The action is similar to OccupyGhana, a citizen pressure group, which began taking corruption cases to court last year.

SUPREME COURT

This month, the Supreme Court ruled in its favour after it submitted a petition calling on the auditor-general to fine anyone found to have misused public money.

“If you want to strengthen democracy, you have to strengthen the legal system,” said OccupyGhana spokesman Nana Sarpong Agyeman-Badu.

Protestors reacting during a demonstration dubbed 'Fabewoso - Bring it on' to raise awareness about the high rate of corruption in the country, in Accra on May 26, 2017. PHOTO | CRISTINA ALDEHUELA | AFP

“If the judiciary is strengthened and we put in more confidence in it, I don’t think people in the executive and legislature can get away with what they do.”

Ghana’s previous government under John Dramani Mahama was hit by a succession of corruption scandals, including in the judiciary.

TAKING BRIBES

Undercover journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas in 2015 released secretly filmed footage of magistrates and judges taking bribes to influence rulings.

Anas, whose motto is “name, shame and jail”, said every citizen should fight corruption and no institution should be “sacrosanct because of their names”.

He operates in many disguises and has been called “the James Bond of journalism”.

“When I look at the past and today, it is clear the citizen has understood that fighting corruption is not the job of government only,” he said.