Doubts raised over ‘Messiah’ Akufo-Addo’s capability to fight corruption

The perception surrounding Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s capability to fight corruption prior to his assumption of office is eroding, a panelist on TV3’s The Key Points has opined. Senior Lecturer at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) Dr Ahmed Jinapor says the “messianic figure” portrayed by Nana Akufo-Addo while a flagbearer as an apostle of anti-corruption is seriously in doubt. He was contributing to discussions on the programme on Saturday, January 5 on the two-year performance of the incumbent government. Monday, January 7, 2019 will mark exactly two years since Nana Akufo-Addo was sworn in as the 5^th president of the Fourth Republic. He had inflicted an embarrassing defeat on incumbent John Dramani Mahama in elections held barely a month earlier. Assessing Nana Akufo-Addo’s two years at the presidency, Dr Jinapor said all and sundry were made to believe that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer was incorruptible. “[He] was seen as somebody who will fight corruption.” He stated, however, that the president’s commitment to fight the canker just like previous presidents Ghana has had is evident. “[But] how successful they have been is the problem here.” To him, the setting up of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) was seen as a vehicle to stem corruption but that has not been so. “That messianic figure is eroding,” Dr Jinapor stressed. Co-chair of the Citizens Movement Against Corruption Edem Senanu, who was also on the panel, said the president seems to be letting civil society down. According to him, even funding for OSP has been a disincentive given the complaints last year by Martin Amidu. “We want to appeal to the president, he should not let us down.” By Emmanuel Kwame Amoh|editors.3news.com|Ghana Follow @kwame_amoh