If we can recover the loot, taxes will be needless — KSM

Veteran media personality Kwaku Sintim-Misa

Veteran media personality Kwaku Sintim-Misa, popularly known as KSM, says Ghana could avoid introducing new taxes if state agencies effectively recovered looted public funds.

According to him, the amounts allegedly stolen by some government officials are so massive that retrieving them would render new taxes unnecessary.

Speaking on The KSM Show, which aired on YouTube, the outspoken social commentator expressed frustration over Ghana’s recurring bailouts from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) despite the rampant looting of state resources.

“The numbers that are being looted are staggering. It’s sad. If you think about the fact that we had to go to the IMF to beg, yet people were looting.

“If we can recover the loot, all these taxes would have been needless,” he stated.

KSM’s comments come at a time when the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and the Office of the Attorney General are prosecuting former public officials as part of the “Operation Recover All Loots” anti-corruption drive.

These include the alleged misappropriation of over GHC49.1 million by former Director-General of the National Signals Bureau, Kwabena Adu-Boahen, and his wife.

The GHC548 million National Service Secretariat ghost names scandal is also under prosecution.

KSM urged the agencies to focus less on public showmanship and more on recovering stolen funds.

“So, to the OSP and the AG—let’s see something. We can’t allow the steam to be lost; put more fire under the pot.

“Every time the OSP is organising press conferences, we are tired. Start moving. Unless he doesn’t have evidence. If he has evidence, chase them. Recover the money. Don’t show any mercy to any criminal. No more talk, start recovering stolen funds!” he stressed.