The General Secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Justin Frimpong Koduah, has slammed the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) for accusing the government of corruption.
Mr. Koduah said the NDC lacks the moral right to point fingers at the NPP government for engaging in corruption-related activities.
The NDC in its recent ‘true state of the nation address’ accused the government of being corrupt. It further blasted the government for sinking the economy into a ditch.
But responding to this in an interview with Umaru Sanda Amadu on Face to Face on Citi TV, the NPP General Secretary said, “I’m surprised the NDC will have the moral rights to talk about corruption in this country and level corruption allegations against the NPP, I’m very surprised. If NDC were coming in good faith, their presentation should have been how as a nation we will address this canker that we all abhor”.
NDC peddled falshoods
He wondered why politicians are mostly tagged as corrupt when workers in the civil and public service equally engage in corruption.
“The major issue in this country is when you talk about corruption, the perception has always been about politicians. Are we saying that in the media, there’s no corruption there? Are we saying that aside from politicians that you know, there is no corruption in the civil service, public service, judiciary?” the NPP chief scribe asked.
He said the NDC refused to make frantic efforts in ensuring that corruption was reduced to the barest minimum during their tenure in government.
The NPP General Secretary enumerated Public Procurement Act, Whistle Blower’s Act and Office of the Special Prosecutor which were all instituted by former President John Agyekum Kufuor and President Akufo-Addo’s government respectively.
“Between the two parties [NPP and NDC], let’s ask ourselves which of them has shown by action the desire to fight corruption. Public Procurement Act which sought to streamline procurement services and goods in the public sector was introduced during former President J.A Kufuor’s tenure. Meanwhile, NDC was in government from PNDC 1992 to 2000 what did they do about instituting an Act to address corruption?”
He further mentioned, “Whistle Blower’s Act was also introduced by former President Kufuor’s administration. The office of the Special Prosecutor was introduced by President Akufo-Addo’s government. It may have its shortcomings and those things but at least to even have the desire and courage, we admit that these are issues confronting the country”.
Mr. Koduah stated that government appointees accused of corruption only stand guilty if a court of competent jurisdiction says so.
“With all those allegations, until a court of competent jurisdiction hears the matter, tries it and comes to a determination, that is when you can make a statement that A or B is corrupt. Between NPP and NDC, which of our members are languishing in jail?” the NPP General Secretary questioned.
