A retired Professor, Stephen Adei, has clapped back at corrupt public officials who employ “independent agencies” to attack persons of repute who speak against their deeds.
The former Rector of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration says corruption has become rife in the country and those indulging in it tend to attack those who chastise them.
In a statement issued in response to a comment made on Accra-based Oman FM Monday, December 4, 2023, the Professor noted that the likes of Prof. Frimpong-Boateng, Daniel Yaw Domelevo among others, who have contributed towards the building of the state are now under attack for speaking against corruption.
He urged such persons to seek redress themselves if they feel defamed rather than resorting to these hired media houses with political alignment to attack their critics.
“The phenomenon whereby any comment by a prominent Ghanaian regarding corruption in Ghana is greeted by directing the anti-corruption agencies or social media personnel and so- called TV and radio hosts of politically aligned media houses to go after them must stop forthwith. If any public office holder feels someone has impinged on their integrity, if they have any, they are at liberty like any other Ghanaian to seek redress themselves and not to direct “independent agencies” to go after them. We should not sit down for people who have contributed to bring Ghana where we are today like Prof Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, Sir Sam Jonah, Mr. John Yaw Domelevo, etc. to be taken to the cleaners by “nunkwams” (nobodies), without in anyway alleging they are without fault,” portions of his statement said.
The economist, administrator, and writer who is known for his forthright disposition to matters of the state, added that never in his life has he ever lobbied for any position from any government in power.
He set the records straight that he is neither a member of the NPP nor NDC, and has never abused any office he has held in the country.
He said the accusations made against him by Oman FM’s Kwabena Kwakye are palpable lies.
“I want to reiterate that corruption is killing the nation. That is incontrovertible. The reports of Transparency International (TI) and Afro-Barometer are there to testify. And it is not a phenomenon limited to Akufo-Addo regime, nor the Ministry of Roads which the Honourable Amoako Atta himself said is full of “thieves.” The recent disturbing new dimension about corruption in Ghana is that, now, in 67% of the cases, according to the 2022 United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime report on corruption in Ghana , the public officials in Ghana demand the bribe bold-facedly upfront. That is all I illustrated with the case of the Ministry of Roads because someone that week had cried to me that such a demand was made to him,” Prof Adei said.
“First, I have never joined any political party in my life. Thus, I am not a member of the New Patriotic Party or the National Democratic Congress or any other party. Neither have I ever lobbied for any position within any administration. In the same vein, neither have I refused to serve my country when called upon and I think I have the requisite capacity to do so,” he indicated.
