President John Mahama has boldly told the National Peace Council he does not enjoy prosecuting people.
According to President Mahama, the people of Ghana will not forgive the government if people develop impunity in terms of abusing the trust.
John Mahama noted that Ghana is not immune to coup d’état, which is why his government is doing their best to make sure that they regain the trust of the people.
He stressed that democratic governance must let citizens have faith that it can deliver development.
Speaking during a courtesy call by the National Peace Council at the Jubilee House on December 10, President John Mahama stated, “For those of us who practice democratic governance, we must let our people have faith that democratic governance can deliver the kinds of opportunity and development that they are looking for”.
“You see a certain cynicism where young people said, even this voting is useless. I go and vote every four years, and I don’t see what difference it makes in our lives,” he said.
He cautioned, “One of my major campaign messages was that we have a last opportunity to keep the faith and trust of our people in the political elites. Otherwise, Ghana is not immune to coup d’états”.
President Mahama added, “I don’t enjoy prosecuting people, but the people of Ghana will not forgive us if people develop impunity in terms of abusing the trust that people have put in them”.
“That is why we are resourcing the Economic and Organised Crime Office and the other anti-corruption institutions, including the Office of the Special Prosecutor,” he added.
Meanwhile, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the Minister for Communications, has reiterated the John Mahama leadership commitment to the Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL).
According to Kwakye Ofosu, President Mahama is resolute in ensuring the recovery of state funds looted under the former Akufo-Addo government.
Speaking on Metro TV on Friday, October 24, Mr Kwakye stated, “ORAL has come to stay, and the President is committed to it, and no one will stop it. The Attorney-General has stated that no one will hinder its work”.
In related news, Dr Dominic Ayine, the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, has revealed that he is under pressure to enter into plea deals in connection with ongoing corruption investigations on the ORAL cases.
According to Dr Ayine, several plea bargain offers had been made by some accused persons, but he has rejected them.
He revealed that the embattled Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, made offers of a plea deal.
According to the Attorney-General, he turned down Wontumi’s plea deal in the case involving Akonta Mining Company Limited.
Speaking at a press briefing in Accra on Wednesday, October 22, as part of the Government Accountability Series, stated, “I’m under no pressure from any quarters to cut deals. Mr President, who is my boss, has not put any pressure on me. He gives me his blessings when I brief him. The Chief of Staff has not put pressure on me to cut deals with anybody.”
“Offers have been made, but I have turned all of them down. I have told everybody, please go to court. In the Wontumi case, offers were made to us for a plea bargain, but I said no — I’m filing charges. If you want to announce your intention for a plea deal, do it before the judge. That is now my strategy,” he explained.
He further dismissed claims that he was cutting deals with NPP officials.
“The NPP took advantage and said I was cutting deals. No deals have been cut and no deal will be cut,” he maintained.