Government says it is committed to fight corruption

The government on Monday revealed that the recent investigative works by investigative journalist, Mr Anas Aremayaw Anas, that exposed cocoa smuggling and corruption at the Tema Harbour were funded by a state institution.

An official statement said the principle behind funding the two projects was to employ counter-check measures in order to assess whether or not existing systems put in place are yielding the required results.

Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, a Deputy Minister of Information, signed the statement that reiterated the government’s commitment to fighting and rooting out corruption and in so doing ensure that it maximises revenue collection.

It hinted at several other strategies that had been deployed at the instance of President John Atta Mills in the fight against corruption and added “the President is determined to win this fight at all cost.”

The statement said anti-corruption measures the government had taken include commitment to passing the Freedom of Information Bill, resourcing and providing logistics to the security services and the transformation of the Serious Fraud Office to the Economic and Organised Crime Office with enhanced powers.

Others are the purchase of 25 new vehicles for State Attorneys and a policy of non-interference in the workings of investigative and quasi-judicial bodies.

The statement appealed to all Ghanaians that the fight against corruption was a collective one.

“Anytime we cut corners or pay bribes, we are as guilty as those CEPS officials caught in the Anas tape and that all of us, including State Prosecutors, must play our role in this fight,” it said.

Source: GNA