Tuesday, 18 November

Corrupt officials will face swift, decisive consequences, President Mahama warns ministers

News
President John Mahama

President John Dramani Mahama has said he has cautioned his ministers that anyone implicated in corruption will face swift and decisive consequences.

Addressing the Christian Council of Ghana during a courtesy call at the Presidency, he reaffirmed his commitment to an uncompromising fight against corruption, stressing that accountability must apply to both current and former officials.

He noted that for many years, corruption had only been tackled after a government left office, allowing scandals under sitting administrations to go unaddressed.

According to him, this pattern must change. 

He added that he had made it clear to his Cabinet that any minister who brought scandal to the government would be held fully accountable.

Despite rising public pressure for rapid prosecutions, he emphasised that his government would strictly follow constitutional procedures. 

He explained that even when public sentiment appeared to condemn an individual, the courts must rely on evidence, not perception.

Without strong evidence, he said, cases would simply be thrown out. To address this, he assured that investigative bodies were receiving the resources they needed to prepare solid dockets before cases moved to court.

On the Family Values Bill, President Mahama explained that the previous Parliament was unable to submit the bill for presidential assent because of an injunction, causing it to lapse at the end of the parliamentary term.

He restated his administration’s position that marriage was between a man and a woman, that gender was determined at birth, and that the family remained the foundation of society. He welcomed Speaker Alban Bagbin’s decision to relay the bill in the House and pledged that if Parliament passed it, he would sign it.

Source: classfmonline.com/Pearl Ollennu