Politicians have tried to justify the distribution of money to delegates during internal party elections in Ghana.
They have described the practice as an appreciation to delegates who travel distances to vote, saying the sums are meant for their transportation.
But Daniel Yaw Domelevo, a former Auditor-General (AG) who was wrongly removed from office by President Akufo-Addo, for what some described as his stance against corruption, has stated that such explanations are insult to the intelligence of Ghanaians.
The former AG says such acts are akin to auctioning the votes of delegates and defaces what a true democracy is.
“As for the politicians, they will deceive us and tell us that the money they distribute during primaries or elections is not a bribe but for transportation. They can call it whatever they want. But we are not idiots; we know these are monies to influence and buy votes,” he said Tuesday, December 5, 2023, on Accra-based JoyNews.
He added to the calls for a constitutional review which he believes would help curb many of the corrupt practices in the country.
Mr. Domelevo said the review should be the starting point of all the reforms needed to curtail corruption in country.
He pointed out that the changes will propel the Office of the Special Prosecutor’s fight against the canker that has been on the rise since Akufo-Addo’s assumption of office according to statistics provided by the Iransparency International for the past 7 years.
These results which have been outcomes of the yearly corruption perception index, indicate that the previous government’s worst achievement under John Dramani Mahama is President Akufo-Addo’s best for the past six years.
Making the laws a bit friendly, according to Mr. Domelevo, would help in the fight against corruption.
“We must make our laws a bit friendly, because fighting corruption is difficult. Corruption is one thing that getting people convicted for it is not easy so we must make the laws such that once we can establish beyond all reasonable doubt that this money didn’t come from your sources of income, the onus should lie on you to prove that the funds are genuine.
“But let’s even grant it without admitting that those sources are genuine, is that what we’re expecting to do as a country?
“Now people are publicly threatening that ‘if you don’t pay me, I am not going to exercise my civil responsibility. This is going too far,” he was disturbed.
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