Govt appointees’ supervisory mechanism is weak

Anti-graft campaigner Edem Senanu has called for a thorough reassessment of the supervisory mechanisms governing government appointees, emphasizing the need for stronger oversight.

Speaking on Prime News on ABC News GH, he noted that systemic loopholes allow individuals to engage in financial misconduct undetected until a change in administration.

“Supervisory mechanism we have needs to be cross-checked because if individuals can get to this level and it takes subsequent government to uncover it, perhaps we should look at our systems again,” he stated.

Senanu also applauded the Attorney-General (AG) and Minister of Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, for the level of transparency exhibited in recent corruption cases, stating that it sets a precedent for accountability.

A String of Financial Scandals

Senanu’s comments come in the wake of several high-profile financial misconduct cases recently unveiled by the Attorney-General. Among them is the case of former National Signals Bureau (NSB) Director-General Kwabena Adu Boahene, who was arrested for allegedly diverting $7 million intended for a cyber defense system contract into his private account.

The Attorney-General detailed the case at a press conference on Monday, March 24, explaining that the funds were meant to bolster Ghana’s cybersecurity capabilities but were instead misappropriated.

In another revelation, Dr. Ayine disclosed that Solomon Asamoah, the former CEO of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF), is currently hiding in Senegal to evade prosecution in connection with the infamous Sky Train Scandal. Investigations revealed that $2 million was paid for the project at the request of Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, then Chairman of the GIIF Board, and Solomon Asamoah. Authorities initially tracked Asamoah to South Africa before he relocated to Senegal, where he has refused to return to Ghana for questioning.

The Attorney-General also exposed a major scandal within the National Service Authority (NSA), where former Director-General Osei Assibey Antwi allegedly paid a Ghanaian Member of Parliament (MP) to suppress media coverage of the ghost names scandal. Eight suspects linked to the scheme have already been interrogated, with several providing incriminating evidence.

More Revelations to Come

Dr. Ayine has hinted that Ghanaians should prepare for even more corruption cases to be unveiled in the coming weeks. At the press conference, he warned that the Adu-Boahene case is just the tip of the iceberg, promising further disclosures on financial misconduct, abuse of power, and illicit transactions involving former government appointees.

“We need to see that we have all that it takes to limit these kinds of things from happening,” Senanu emphasized, calling for stricter oversight mechanisms to prevent corruption at the highest levels of government.