The high cost of securing political office may lead to drug peddlers and terrorists funding politicians in Ghana, a situation that will plunder the nation on a “serious risk” according to former Auditor-General, Daniel Yaw Domelevo.
He says the situation could lead to the country becoming breeding grounds and hideouts for terrorists and drug traffickers when people they support their campaigns amass political power.
The accountant who currently serves as a Board member of the Global Fund was speaking on how the cost of securing political office is not helping in the fight against corruption.
He explains politicians are prone to recouping the huge sums of money invested in their campaigns, making worse the State’s attempt to curbing the menace.
Mr. Domelevo has been telling Captain Smart, the host of Maakye on Onua TV, that politicians are supposed to make lifestyle audit of themselves to let the nation know how much they spend during their campaigns due to the risk it poses to the nation.
“That is the reason why I have been calling for lifestyle audit. We need lifestyle audit to determine the amounts spent and the source for such expenditure. So that we can tell Ghanaians how you got it.
“They should account for it because the country runs a serious risk. One, if we are not careful, drug peddlers or drug gangs will be funding our politicians and when they win election, we are dead. I hope that does not materialise. The next dangerous group, terrorists, and there are a lot of terror groups in Africa who have a lot of money, even when you ask for a billion they will give it to you instantly and all they need is a turf where they can operate and so you will be creating a safe haven for those type of things,” he pointed out.
He also mentioned the possible influence of neocolonialists in funding politicians to also secure some hegemony to take control of the economy after the polls.
“…and of course even the neocolonialists are also interested in power in our country and so one can say ‘Captain Smart, we believe in you, take 10 or 20 million for your campaign and when you are done all the things that you will buy should come from our country'” he added.
The former A-G also shared how his quest to fighting corruption was impeded by the Akufo-Addo government who felt his works were making the government unpopular.
When asked if he thinks he was stopped from fighting corruption, Mr. Domelevo said “Oh yes, from my point of view I was actually stopped from fighting corruption. And I wrote that to the President when the letter came for me to go on leave. I said no, I have a constitutional mandate to issue audit reports within six months after the end of the financial year, so we were at the end of June and the audits had delayed and so I could not stop and go,” he disclosed.
He added that he told the President “my audits are disturbing you so you want me to stop and go on leave.”
Corruption fight: ‘Akufo-Addo’s rhetorics far higher than what we are seeing on ground’ – Domelevo
