Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Nyarko Ampem has expressed confidence that President John Mahama’s administration will complete its four-year term without being tainted by scandal.
Speaking at the Annual Conference of the African Association of Accountants General in Accra, Mr. Ampem said the government is firmly steered by the President’s consistent and stern admonitions to appointees to avoid corrupt practices.
“It has been 10 months of no scandal. Hopefully, we will end the first year with no scandal. Second year, third year, and the administration will end without a scandal,” he remarked.
His assurance follows President Mahama’s strong warning to public officials on Tuesday, November 18, during a meeting with the Christian Council of Ghana. The President cautioned that any official found engaging in corruption under his watch would face severe repercussions.
The President explained that he reminds his ministers at every cabinet sitting not to bring disgrace to his government. He stressed that the fight against corruption is not a personal crusade but a necessary measure to safeguard national resources.
“The prosecutions that we are taking against the current government — woe betides the first person who brings a scandal to this government. We shall hang them on a cross, as we follow our Lord Jesus Christ, but they cannot resurrect again,” President Mahama declared.
Responding to this, Mr. Ampem said the President’s uncompromising position has instilled a new culture of accountability within government.
“He says to us: woe betides any of you who bring scandal to my government. And so, if you meet any appointee, what we say is, ‘Hey, let me be sure that I’m not the first to bring scandal to the President.’ This is putting us on our toes,” he explained.
Mr. Ampem praised the President for, in his view, providing decisive and necessary leadership on integrity and ethical conduct in public service.
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