The Recipe To End Corruption Is Not A Special Procecutor

It was around 4:30pm on Thursday afternoon, the sun was then about setting to allow the moon to take over. I was then watching the parliamentary probing of the what is now termed "Cash for seat" saga on GTV, when the programme was folded, and telecasting live from the Flagstaff House, Office of the President.

There appear with the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo walking to the Press Room. With him was Dr. Mahamudu Bawumiah, Vice President of the Republic, Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Opare, Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Gloria Akufo-Addo, among other dignitaries.

But surprisingly with them was a man who describes himself as a founding member of the largest opposition party in Ghana, the National Democratic Party, Martin A.B.K Amidu, widely known by Ghanaians as 'citizen vigilante', I was flabbergasted, and immediately got lost in my thoughts.

Then to be announced by the President of the Republic, the much awaited anti-corruption crusader to man the office of the special prosecutor, projected to fight the menace of corruption.

Martin Alamisi Burns Kaiser Amidu, is the first special prosecutor! Really?

Minutes after the announcement, the media landscape -notably the digital media- got flooded with news breaking the appointment of the astute attorney, Martin Amidu, where lots of folks extended their congratulatory messages, while others jubilate, as if the Messiah has come, and the acclaimed 'righteous' people are about to be taken up to the Creator.

I got marveled, asking myself that how could the appointment of an individual to man an office like this bring an end to the rock of ages corruption, in reference to what former president John Agyekum Kufour described, saying, "corruption is as old as Adam and Eve"? Meaning, corruption has been there since time of memorial. Thus not new in the system.

I wish to submit that by the appointment of a special prosecutor will not intimidate the rate at which corruption is reigning in the country, from the past, present and future.

Thus the office of the special prosecutor would be if not a duplicate of the office of the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, an office Mr Amidu once occupied but jailed not anyone at the time, then a triplicate or quadruplicate of the office of the EOCO and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) respectively.

If the A-G still holds power above this office and is subject to serve at the behest of the A-G, since an occupant of the special prosecutor's office is nominated by the A-G and in her bossom lies the power to file a motion in court to discontinue a court case, technically known as Nolle Prosequi, then where lies the independence of special prosecutor to render his much anticipated service, especially in an attempt to prosecute personnel of a government in power?

Our elders once said "a tree that a hundred years has been spent to bend it, one cannot use a day to straighten it up". How can corruption stop because a single soul has been appointed? Have we also forgotten that there is a court of competent jurisdiction that has the capacity to determine whether a case brought before it holds water or not? Thus a special prosecutor is not a judge by himself?

Now talking about corruption that we are committed to fight collectively as a country, people pay to obtained a Degree, Masters and PhD without passing through the required system and yet they hold big positions in government. Does this not form part of corruption or is only about government officials embezzlement?

Some parents engage in bribery for their children to be promoted to the next class while some will bribe heads of institutions to get their wards admitted in the best schools as others are ready to buy examination questions for the their children. Students are paying people to hack their school's database for their grades to be changed as others pay exorbitant fees to be adjudged the best student and so on.

If gabbage in and out in a computer language is something good to go by, then we should rather not comment, celebrate or jubilate over the appointment of a special prosecutor because the value is the same. *"He who does not sin before should be the first to cast the stone"* of course majority will find their way out as they drop their stones.

Let now look at our government institutions especially the security service, thousands of citizens apply for a slot for five hundred vacant positions. Whilst these people follow due process, others pass through the back door for them to be considered.

Whether you will be admitted or not will depend on how much you can afford to pay as a bribe. Some Police personal will arrest you on the road for wrong doing but will leave you sooner than later as you tipped them with a coin.

Thousands queue for a passport and waits more than a quarter of the year for their data to be captured and yet someone will come just in seconds and get his or her passport done because he is ready to let the money flow. In the judiciary it is no better. One will go to court for an affidavit and the receipt issued is less than the amount paid, some judges take goats and a bag of maize to make a case 'foolish'.

Not only does these irregularities exist in the public sector alone but the private sector as well. Whilst artists are battling with their promoters or sponsors for a fee or sexual harassment before getting support, others are also paying money to have their way through.

The big question we ought to ask is that will Mr. Martin Amidu monitor all these behaviors and prosecute people one after the other?

But all these people are jubilating and others are in their pensive mood because of their deeds in the past and thinking there will be a witch hunt. But a 'witch' can only be hunted if there is any. Or?

If a special prosecutor should be something to go by, then I suggest the president should first be committed to passing the Right to Information(RTI) Bill through Parliament, like the way he did to the Development Agency Bills and the Zongo Development Fund Bill that will feed us with information relative to various government expenditures and revenues generated.

This is prudent, I suggest, because the RTI Bill will help the special prosecutor to have access to inaccessible information.

For how many years more will this Bill continue to be in Parliament, after spending more than fifteen already.

Is it about scoring political points that, the government pledged the people of Ghana the following and they are implementing, or is about public interest? How do the public believe the above persons have inflated a project supposed to be less if we are not been fed with the information.

What is the surest way that some past government officials alleged to have embezzled state funds are going to be prosecuted?

Twenty five years of the fourth Republic democratic, from which year will the special prosecutor take into consideration for his 'prosecutorial' job because corruption scandals has at least rocked every government right from H.E Jerry John Rawlings' Abacha scandal to cases of corruption levelled against President Akufo-Addo government with examples being Premix fuel diversion, BOST, cash for seat saga.

While not forgetting Mahama's Ameri deal, Bus branding saga. Also,the presidency of Kufour and Mills were also characterised by allegations of corruption which need also to be attended to.

Should we be told that our laws does not allow for a retrospective look, then the special persecutor's office must start working from the current NPP regime. But for free and fair dispensation and delivery of duties, the law mandates the special prosecutor to investigate all alleged corruption cases, so that include formal government officials and current officials. We must as well ensure that no one from 1993 to date is left out for fair justice.

The special prosecutor if indeed we want the office and occupants to be independent, then the constitution must be amended to grant Mr. Martin Amidu and successive prosecutors full power to work without control, fear or favour.

But what then will EOCO, CHRAJ among others investigate? .

Fellow Ghanaians, as we play our citizenry roles, we must also not relent on asking several questions instead of being quick to judge who is the first to be prosecuted. It's a high time the politicians stop playing with people's illiteracy.

To journalists, kindly use the media to demand for the immediate passage of the RTI Bill to enhance the access to nformation.

Individuals must endeavour to stop corruption first before they pray for its entirety stoppage else it is just like a water pouring on a stone.

Thanks.
*Richard Mensah Adonu*
[email protected]
Mensahrichardadonu.blogspot.com
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