Adu Boahen’s dismissal good for anti-corruption fight – Ghana Integrity Initiative

The Programmes Manager at the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), Mary Addah, has lauded President Akufo-Addo’s swift action to sack the Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, Charles Adu Boahen after he was implicated in an investigative documentary.

Mr Adu Boahen was sacked after it emerged he allegedly said Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia could be paid $200,000 as an appearance fee to set up a meeting with investors.

Commenting on the issue, Madam Addah said the action of President Akufo-Addo was necessary to deal with corruption-related matters.

“The President acting swiftly is critical to fighting corruption because some of these cases usually come up and not much action is taken. This fuels some of the speculation and perception around corruption in government. So, this is swift and expeditious enough, and it is good for the country.”

She believes President Akufo-Addo “recognizes that some of the alleged instances and inferences made could bother on criminality and pure corruption. So, he has referred that to the Special Prosecutor whose Act [the Act establishing the Office of the Special Prosecutor] gives him the power to investigate issues relating to corruption.”

However, she said that relieving Adu Boahen of his post is not enough, adding that government must proceed to investigate the allegations levelled against the Vice President.

“The Vice President, in addition to what is put out there, will also serve better if he calls for investigations into those allegations that have something to do with his personal and professional credibility. It will allow everyone to know that the integrity he is speaking to is one he does not joke with, and he is not just speaking as a mantra, but it is something he lives by and would want everyone to attest to same.”

Madam Addah expressed doubt about the commitment of President Akufo-Addo to fighting the menace of corruption because of the various appointees that have been accused at one point or another of corruption but are still actively serving.

“The person who authored the termination letter was cited by his wife for some domestic infractions, and she made certain allegations about properties he has acquired within the shortest time period and others. In that case, civil society spoke to that issue and thought something should have been done other than the silence that went with it. Today, he is still in Government authoring letters to fire people, but we don’t know how far his own allegations went.

“This is a President that promised us during his campaign that all you needed to do was to complain or make a complaint or present a case, and the investigation agencies will then take it up. He also promised that hewouldl use Anas’ principle to confirm some of these issues, so it becomes worrying when we do not see that being followed through,” she added in an interview on Citi News.

President Akufo-Addo, on Monday, November 14, sacked Mr Adu Boahen.

This comes after allegations levelled against him in Anas Aremeyaw Anas’ ‘Galamsey Economy’ expose.

In a press statement signed by the Director Of Communications at the Office of the President, Eugene Arhin, the President’s decision followed a discussion with the minister.

The President further referred the issue to the Office of the Special Prosecutor for investigation.

“After being made aware of the allegations levelled against the Minister in the exposé, ‘Galamsey Economy’, the President spoke to Mr Adu Boahen, after which he took the decision to terminate his appointment and also to refer the matter to the Special Prosecutor for further investigations.

“The President thanked Mr Adu Boahen for his strong services to his government since his appointment in 2017 and wished him well in his future endeavours,” the statement concluded.