Citizen Eye Ghana has called for thorough investigations into alleged corruption involving officials of the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration, while urging authorities to ensure that any person found to have abused public resources is held accountable.
Speaking during a press engagement, President of the civil society organisation, Alex Tetteh, said investigations into alleged misconduct must be conducted without political considerations and should be based on evidence and due process.
Tetteh pointed to what he described as unexplained increases in the wealth of some individuals who served in public office under the former Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo administration.
“How does one enter politics by just doing ‘tsooboi’ with basically no relevant experience, leads a very serious department like NEIP, fails woefully at their job and ends up with so much wealth in just under eight years?” he asked.
He argued that political office must not become a means of personal enrichment and called for alleged corruption cases to be pursued regardless of the political affiliation of those involved.
Tetteh also singled out Nkansah, insisting that he should be subjected to further scrutiny over what he described as revelations surrounding scholarships and other matters.
He said Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) should be supported where its work is based on credible evidence and proper investigative procedures.
While commending institutions including the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), the Ghana Police Service, the National Intelligence Bureau and the judiciary for their roles in fighting economic crimes, he stressed that recoveries must be supported by facts rather than political rhetoric.
Tetteh defends GoldBod
Tetteh also defended the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) and its Chief Executive Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, amid growing political criticism over the institution’s operations.
He urged opposition politicians and other critics to focus on the broader economic benefits of the country’s gold resources rather than allowing political disagreements to distract from the institution’s work.
According to Tetteh, Ghana previously relied heavily on intermediaries in the gold trade while the country continued to face pressure on its foreign exchange position and the value of the cedi.
He argued that the current GoldBod model has helped Ghana retain more value from locally produced gold and has contributed to efforts to strengthen the cedi and rebuild foreign exchange reserves.
“Where were all those loud-mouthed individuals when we needed ideas to arrest the cedi and make Ghana benefit from our natural resources?” he asked.
Tetteh also called for Parliament to examine previous operations of the Domestic Gold Purchase Programme, including reports of losses allegedly linked to exchange-rate spreads, fees and discounts.
He questioned the criticism directed at GoldBod when, in his view, the institution has contributed to improvements in the foreign exchange market.
“Why are we complaining when the Gold Board has done a good job at moving the dollar from 18 cedis to 10 cedis?” he asked.
He urged the NPP and other political actors to “stop the partisan politics and support the government when they are doing well”.
Call for integrity and bipartisan accountability
Tetteh said Citizen Eye Ghana’s position is that Ghana’s anti-corruption efforts should focus on recovering public resources, strengthening institutions and ensuring that public officials are held accountable where wrongdoing is established.
He also called for better support for security agencies whose officers perform well in the fight against economic crimes and drug trafficking, including improved welfare and career progression.
According to him, the country’s political class should prioritise national interest over partisan point-scoring.
He said effective institutions such as GoldBod should be supported where they are delivering results, while alleged corruption under both current and previous administrations must be subjected to credible investigations.
Tetteh’s remarks come amid renewed public debate over anti-corruption investigations, Ghana’s economic recovery and the management of the country’s gold resources.
