Former President John Mahama has reiterated his commitment to tackle corruption in Ghana head-on amid growing concerns about the country’s stalled progress on the corruption perception index.
This comes in the wake of Transparency International’s release of the 2023 index, which showed Ghana’s ranking had not improved despite promises and efforts to tackle corruption.
In a grim assessment, the Ghana Integrity Initiative stated that Ghana’s anti-corruption campaign has shown zero improvement in the last four years.
Ghana scored 43 out of a clean score of 100 and ranked 70th out of 180 countries and territories included in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2023, released on January 30, 2024. This marks the fourth consecutive year of stagnation in Ghana’s anti-corruption efforts, as indicated by the CPI.
During a #BuildingGhanaTour town hall event in Koforidua, Mahama condemned a shady revenue assurance contract between the Ghana Revenue Authority and Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML), pledging that his administration would not accept or recognise it. He also vowed to hold accountable those involved in the contract for the funds they have taken.
Mahama went on to express his frustration with the lack of progress in the fight against corruption, stating, “You cannot fleece a country like this… now Ghanaians are not surprised again; reports of corruption does not shock Ghanaians again, because everybody is tired of hearing of the cases and no effort by the government to fight it.”
His comments reflect growing concerns among Ghanaians about the prevalence of corruption in the country and the need for stronger measures to address it.
Mahama’s pledge to strengthen the fight against corruption comes at a crucial time as Ghana continues to grapple with the impact of corruption on its development and governance.
With the 2024 general elections on the horizon, Mahama’s commitment to tackling corruption may resonate with voters increasingly disillusioned with the lack of progress on this issue.
As the campaign season heats up, it remains to be seen how the current government will respond to these concerns and what impact Mahama’s promises will have on future political dynamics in Ghana.
