Mahama's corruption fight was a sham but Nana Addo's fight is shambolic - Manasseh Azure

Manasseh Azure believes Nana Addo has not shown enough commitment to fighting corruption.

Nana Addo, 2016 flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), said efforts being made by the Mahama-led administration to fight corruption is a 'sham'.

Delivering what the NPP believes to be "The Real State of the Nation" address on February 29, 2016, he said it is not true the NDC government is working hard in the fight against corruption.

According to him, "the president cannot point to one example where the exposure of corruption has come from his government. Each scandal that has been exposed in Mahama's government was done by the media, civil society groups or the Minority in Parliament..."

Manasseh Azure Awuni Pulse Ghana

"The last time I said this, the government spokesmen were clearly unhappy but I will continue to say until I’m proven wrong with credible verifiable information- every time you see the Ridge Hospital, you should recall that according to the Crown Agents, the contract for the project has been inflated by $142 million".

"Again, every kilometer of road constructed by this government, every school block built under this government has cost more money than can be reasonably justified. It is clear from the actions taken on cases like Judgment Debts, World Cup saga, GYEEDA, SADA, DVLA saga, the Metro Mass branding, etc, that the fight against corruption is a sham. I say it again, the so-called fight against corruption is a sham," Nana Addo stated.

The president speaking at the 2019 annual general conference of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) in Takoradi on September 9, 2019, denied the claims that he was shielding corrupt officials in his administration.

"It is not my job to clear or convict any person accused of wrongdoing, or of engaging in acts of corruption. My job is to act on allegations of corruption by referring to the issue or issues to the proper investigative agencies for the relevant inquiry and necessary action. That is exactly what has been done since I assumed the mantle of leadership on 7th January 2017. If an appointee is cleared of any wrongdoing, the evidence adduced and recommendations made by these agencies, after the investigations are concluded, are what clear the accused persons, not myself. None of these agencies has ever indicated any pressure from the Executive over their investigations," he said.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo Pulse Ghana

But following the President's assertion that he was not protecting corrupt officials in his government, Manasseh Azure said Nana Addo's fight against the canker is chaotic.

In a Facebook post, he wrote: "It is clear from the actions taken in cases like judgment debts, the World Cup saga, GYEEDA, SADA, the DVLA saga, the Metro Mass branding, etc., that the fight against corruption is a sham. I say again, the so-called fight against corruption is a sham." -- Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, February 2016, in his "True State of the Nation" address.

"On GYEEDA, two people were imprisoned, including Abuga Pele, a former MP from Mahama's government

"60 million cedis was retrieved from the rLG Group.

"All the Contracts, but one, were canceled.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo with NDC flagbearer John Mahama Pulse Ghana

"A bill was drafted and passed into law to streamline GYEEDA, the YEA Act of 2015 was passed.

"I agree with President Akufo-Addo's assertion that more had to be done in the GYEEDA case, but if he was bold to call Mahama's fight against corruption was a sham even with the above actions, then he should not take offense when Ghanaians think his efforts in fighting corruption are shambolic."