The Attorney-General & Minister for Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, is charging investigative bodies to be honest and bold to disclose to the public full results of investigations into allegations of corruption against members of government which turn out to be untrue.
“There must be the avoidance of sensationalism by all involved – investigative bodies, civil society, and the public. It augurs well for the fight if the results of corruption allegations against public officers, particularly senior members of government, which are investigated and refuted or unsubstantiated, are fully put out by investigative bodies. Thus, investigative bodies must be honest and bold enough to disclose to the public the full results of investigations into allegations of corruption against members of government which turn out to be untrue,” the minister stressed.
That, the AG intimated, is one sure way to boost the confidence of the public in their government, reduce the suspicions, distrust and cynicism with which the public views office holders and boost the corruption perception index of respective countries.
Lawyer Dame observed that “After all, it is a truism that, not every public office holder is corrupt,” and that “Investigative authorities must discard the view that the only way to remain relevant is by keeping the flame of allegations of corruptions against public office holders burning, even if same, to their knowledge are unfounded and in fact, baseless.”
He stated in his remarks at opening ceremony of the 14th Commonwealth Regional Conference of Heads of Anti-corruption Agencies in Africa on Monday, 6 May, 2024, at the Kempinski Hotel in Accra, that the development of economies and the global financial system are at risk from exploiters of weaknesses in the system to perpetrate financially motivated crime, but that “through a coordinated effort, based on mutual cooperation between criminal justice partners and the private sector worldwide, we can conquer wrongdoers and opportunists.”
Criminals, he disclosed, exploit differences between countries to further their objectives, enrich their organisations, expand their power, and avoid detection or apprehension, urging that “The need for states to cooperate in combating the threat of economic crimes is, therefore, more than imperative. When those who have been entrusted with authority to ensure that right procedures are followed derelict on same, the trust and confidence of the people are abused.”
Lawyer Dame, however, charged the conference “to punish corruption and other forms of economic crime through a fair, honest and efficient justice system,” adding that, “the efficiency of a nation’s justice system is tested particularly by the speed and efficiency with which cases seeking to hold high-profile members of society to account as well as top financial crimes, are conducted.”
For her part, Ghana, the AG reiterated, has in recent times, embarked on a deliberate policy of digitalisation of the Ghanaian environment as a vital tool for enhancing transparency and efficiency in the public sector.
Policies like a robust National Identification System, Digital Property Address System, Paperless Port Systems, E-Justice Systems, Pensions and Insurance data and a digitized Land Title Registry, he added, have in their focus the attainment of accountability and efficiency in the public space.
“The introduction of the Ghana.Gov platform, making it possible for services to be accessed and payment made online by card without the conduit of middlemen, has significantly reduced the risk of public sector corruption through embezzlement,” the AG indicated.
The forum has brought under one roof those at the helm of the prevention and reduction of corruption in African countries part of the Commonwealth – those charged with curbing abuse to the financial system, and whose voices and actions matter in the establishment of values that prevent and mitigate the consequences of economic crime and misconduct.
The annual conference commenced on Monday, under the theme “Strengthening Institutions and Promoting Transparency: A Means of Fighting Corruption in Commonwealth Africa.”
