President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has expressed confidence in his credibility compared to former President John Mahama in the eyes of Ghanaians.
According to him, the numerous corruption accusations levelled against his administration and family are part of a grand smear campaign by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer.
“I’m aware that there’s a deliberate, politically motivated effort to stigmatize my government, my family, and myself as corrupt,” the President said.
“I suspect this is payback for the damaging allegations of corruption levelled against members of the erstwhile Mahama administration, some of which have led to criminal convictions, while others are still being prosecuted in court.”
He insists that, the constant claims that he clears his associates or appointees of corruption allegations will not hold.
He referenced the high-profile Airbus case in which Mr Mahama was named as Government Official 1 to buttress his point.
The President made these remarks at the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) Conference in Kumasi.
He further stated that these developments would not force him to sidestep due process, as Ghanaians would prefer his approach over Mr Mahama’s.
President Akufo-Addo emphasised that despite the accusations, he remains firm in his belief that his approach to governance and corruption is more credible in the eyes of Ghanaians.
“It is important that I reiterate that I will not abandon, under any circumstance, recourse to due process in the fight against corruption. Be that, as it may, in any event, I will leave it to the judgment of the Ghanaian public and people to decide whether it is preferable to be a Clearing Agent or Government Official 1.”
He also said his administration has superintended stringent measures aimed at eradicating corruption in Ghana.
These measures, he noted, have been implemented through significant upgrades in the legal administration system, which are already producing results.
“We’ve also taken strong, systemic steps to combat corruption, rooted in a holistic program of legislative, administrative, financial and technological reforms. We’ve established the Office of the Special Prosecutor, a critical institution in the fight against corruption, and we’ve provided them with the necessary tools to prosecute those who seek to enrich themselves at the expense of the Ghanaian people,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Office of the Special Prosecutor on August 8, 2024, exonerated John Mahama from any acts of corruption in the controversial Airbus bribery scandal.
In 2020, former Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu accused Mr Mahama as the mysterious ‘Government Official 1’ in the scandal that trailed the procurement of aircraft from manufacturer Airbus for the Government of Ghana.
Despite refuting the accusation, members of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) have maintained that the former president was actually involved in a bribery scandal.
Four years on, the current Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng set the records straight in a recent update on the Airbus bribery scandal, saying neither the former president nor his UK-based brother, Adam Mahama, were bribed.
At a press conference, Mr Agyebeng said his outfit upon investigating the case found “no evidence” of corruption against the former President.