Corruption On The Rise; Bodies Supposed To Hold Executive Accountable Have All Been Crippled – Asiedu Nketia Fires Gov’t
General Secretary of the largest opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia says corruption is on the rise in the country as a result of the Akufo-Addo administration breaking other smaller powers including the Judiciary that can hold the government accountable.
He bemoaned that every other power that could have held the Executive power in check and stop it from doing whatever it likes has been neutralized and crippled, making it difficult to get rid of corruption in the country.
Speaking on Okay FM’s ‘Ade Akye Abia’ Morning Show, the NDC Chief Scribe maintained that institutions like; the Ghana Bar Association, Religious Leaders, the Security agencies have all been crippled by the Executive Arm of Government to hold it accountable for its stewardship.
“Today, it is like every other power is neutralized and the executive power is strengthened. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. So, if a certain Executive is in place and they have broken other smaller powers that can hold them accountable and they do whatever they like, are you surprised that corruption is on the rise in the country? This is because the bodies that will hold the executive accountable have been crippled,” he asserted.
“The media has been crippled, student bodies, Ghana Bar Association, Religious Leaders and today the Judiciary is also being crippled by the executive, and so who can stand up to challenge the bad things happening in the country? Even the military and the police have been crippled as well,” he added.
He feared that the Executive Arm of Government will continue to have a field day if such intimidation persists in the country.
“If such intimidation persists in the country, which body can hold the executive body to account? In terms of finances, the person who has to investigate the way the government uses the budget has been sacked; I am talking about the Auditor-General. The institution in charge of the electoral system that is supposed to organize an election for the electorates to audit the party in power to see if it should continue or not, the Electoral Commission [EC] is in someone’s armpit,” he slammed.
He posited that, “the Clergy who used to talk in this country about the happenings to strengthen our democracy has gone silent. So, the direction of the country is bad and those of us who are saying that the country is going in the wrong direction are being blamed and not those who are leading the country to the ditch. This government is to be blamed for the direction the country is going”.
