We need to unshackle the power the constitution gave central Gov’t to misbehave – Franklin Cudjoe

We need to unshackle the power the constitution gave to central Gov’t to misbehave – Franklin Cudjoe

The President of the “think tank” group IMANI Africa seem to have undying headache over the politics of Ghanaian leaders and their inability to deliver on their anti-corruption promises and contents of their manifestos put out before elections are held in the country

Over the last few months, Mr. Franklin Cudjoe wrote a couple of articles describing the poor state of management when it comes to issues of corruption by Ghanaian leaders, especially from the two major political parties in the country, NPP and NDC.

In the latest write up from Mr. Cudjoe, he shared his dissatisfaction with regards to the alleged Airbus Scandal involving a “government official 1” which took over the country prior to the COVID-19 outbreak and the huge amount of investment the government headed by H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is putting its so-called investigation, saying if such an investment was made into far worse scenarios that popped up after the Airbus deal, the state won’t be in its current position.

“I am intrigued at the amount of time and investment being put into the alleged £5m Airbus scandal. If we invested a quarter of the resources and collective anger into preventing the tall list of recurring and far worse infractions, such as $178m KVG, EC $150m, millions of dollars in galamsey deals (just to name a few), we wouldn’t need external entities telling us what we have become and are, when we get power”, he stated.

According to the IMANI Africa boss, the two offices responsible for putting out the fire of corruption in the country have had monumental blockages from leadership of the country, leading to their inability to perform their duties to the state with ease.
In an example he stated how the Auditor-General was nearly jailed for probing into a $1m dollar payment made to a “receiver” without any work done.

“Just look at the monumental political impediments we have erected in the way of Special Prosecutor Amidu and Auditor-General Domelevo, who was nearly jailed because he is simply asking how $1m of our public money was allegedly paid to an entity for no work done”, he poured out.

Mr. Franklin Cudjoe however admonished that this is the time for the country to start learning how to live with the COVID-19 Pandemic and it resulting shortfall in revenue generation and the impact it will have until a vaccine is found

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1. I am intrigued at the amount of time and investment being put into the alleged £5m Airbus scandal. If we invested a quarter of the resources and collective anger into preventing the tall list of recurring and far worse infractions, such as $178m KVG, EC $150m, millions of dollars in galamsey deals (just to name a few), we wouldn’t need external entities telling us what we have become and are, when we get power.

2. Just look at the monumental political impediments we have erected in the way of Special Prosecutor Amidu and Auditor-General Domelevo, who was nearly jailed because he is simply asking how $1m of our public money was allegedly paid to an entity for no work done.

3 We need to find a way of unshackling our central govermments from the overly powerful constitution which gives such unfettered power to misbehave. It seems to me that none of the two major political parties can boldly campaign on their anti-corruption credentials and be taken seriously by the electorate. Do not get me wrong. We must all be accountable for our actions, even if well-intended. But it is becoming neauseating to hear the holier-than-thou postulations by the political class when it comes to public graft. None is clean.

4 It would be better to look out for which of the two parties left lasting impressions on crucial matters of inequality, inclusivity as far as health, education, infrastructure and general living conditions are concerned.

5. And there is now our nemesis, covid-19, which has become a way of life-we need to start thinking of how we will live with it until a vaccine is found. And at IMANI, we think one of the most crucial matters for our collective attention is how Covid-19 has opened up serious fiscal room due to postponement of projects and cancellations of spending plans and how effective re-investment of that money is just as critical as plugging the anticipated revenue shortfalls due to COVID-19. That is a study IMANI plans to undertake, funding willing, as we believe it is a useful contribution to the debate on how the newly recruited into poverty, thanks to covid-19, the existing poor and the extremly marginalised can be helped, of course, if the funds are well applied.