Private legal practitioner, Martin Kpebu, has disagreed with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s claim that he does not interfere with investigations against his appointees.
He insisted that the president interferes with the investigations of his appointees accused of engaging in corruption.
Kpebu pointed to the Cecilia Abena Dapaah case as an example, where the President expressed confidence in her clearance even before investigations concluded.
To him, if this comment of the President does not amount to interference then he cannot tell exactly what is meant by interference.
President Akufo-Addo has recently refuted claims of being a “clearing agent” for his appointees, denying allegations of interference in corruption probes.
However, Kpebu disagreed, emphasising instances where the President’s comments, particularly in the Cecilia Dapaah case, could be perceived as interfering with ongoing investigations.
“The president says that there is no corruption issue that has not been investigated, his comment is in relation to the Cecilia Dapaah saga where millions and millions were found with her in her bank account and in her house. It is neither here nor there. The BOST one, was he not the one that when a committee had been set up, stepped in and stopped it. What else could qualify as interference if stopping a committee from going ahead doesn’t qualify as interference?
“In Cecilia Dapaah’s case, his comments that he knew she would be cleared was certainly bad for the optics,” he stated in a 3news.com report.
Highlighting another case, Kpebu pointed to President Akufo-Addo’s involvement in the evaluation of Ghana’s National Anti-Corruption Action Plan (NACAP).
The President urged institutions engaged in the anti-corruption fight to assess NACAP’s impact on reducing corruption and make necessary adjustments. Kpebu raised concerns about the President’s active role in the evaluation process, suggesting it might influence the outcomes.
“The President insisted that, ‘there is the need to understand how the action plan has contributed to reducing corruption in the country and to make necessary adjustments to policies and institutional arrangements based on the evaluation results. The National Anti-Corruption Action Plan, contains strategic action plans identified and agreed upon by stakeholders during a nationwide consultation exercise.
“President Akufo-Addo said ‘evaluation is important to assess the contribution of NACAP to the fight against corruption in all spheres.’ Government Statistician, Professor Samuel Kobina Annim, said the Ghana Statistical Service is ready to lead a broad and participatory evaluation of Ghana’s maiden NACAP, mobilise resources and stimulate interest to develop NACAP 2,” he added.
Source: ghanaweb.com
