GII criticises Mahama’s anti-corruption approach

The Executive Director of the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), Mary Addah, has raised critical concerns about the President-elect’s formation of the ‘Operation Retrieve All Loot’ committee to address corruption-related complaints.

Speaking on the Key Points with Alfred Ocansey on December 21, 2024, Addah emphasized the need for a structured, law-based approach to fighting corruption rather than what she described as “populist” initiatives aimed at appeasing public expectations.

Addah reiterated that her organization has no reservations about the individuals nominated to form the committee.

However, she questioned its effectiveness, citing historical failures of similar committees, such as the 2017 initiative under the Nana Akufo-Addo administration, which did not yield sustainable results.

“We are a people who must be guided by the past and what has happened before. We have seen similar committees being formed, yet the outcomes have not met expectations. Institutions like the Auditor General’s Office and the Office of the Special Prosecutor should lead such charges,”Addah said.

Addah stressed the importance of trusting democratic institutions to tackle corruption.

She urged the President-elect to empower existing bodies like the Office of the Special Prosecutor and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) rather than setting up ad-hoc committees.

“If the President-elect wants the corruption fight to succeed, our institutions must be mandated and allowed their independence. This way, we show that these institutions have the authority and capacity to operate independently, as prescribed by the Constitution,” the GII boss noted.

The GII Executive Director described the act of soliciting corruption-related complaints from the public as a populist move.
She argued that such initiatives often raise public expectations without delivering concrete results.

“This idea of receiving complaints from citizens is good in theory, but does not address the root of the problem,” Addah noted.“Instead, it creates hope without substantive action, which undermines trust in the fight against corruption.”

Addah called for a comprehensive strategy to remove legal and administrative obstacles that hinder anti-corruption efforts.
She expressed concern that Ghana’s anti-corruption institutions, such as the Office of the Special Prosecutor, have been ineffective due to systemic constraints.

“What we want to see is for the President-elect to pave the way for these institutions to function effectively by removing the barriers that limit their operations,” she said.

Referencing Ghana’s history of anti-corruption campaigns, Addah warned against repeating past mistakes.

She highlighted several operations that began with much fanfare but failed to deliver significant outcomes.

“We’ve seen slogans like ‘Operation Accountability’ and others, but they have not yielded much progress. This new initiative appears to follow the same pattern,” she said.

Despite her criticisms, Addah wished the committee success and expressed hope that the approach could yield better results than its predecessors.

“This is just a microcosm of the challenge we face as a nation in the fight against corruption,” she said. “We hope that the President-elect’s team can turn this into a genuine step forward.”

Addah’s remarks add to a national debate about the effectiveness of Ghana’s anti-corruption strategies. While some citizens have applauded her for speaking out, others believe the President-elect deserves a chance to prove his approach can work.

As the country awaits the President-elect’s official swearing-in, her insights highlight the need for a robust, institutionally driven approach to addressing corruption at all levels.

By Christabel Success Treve