Monday, April
17, 2017 marks exactly 100 days since the Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo Addo led NPP
administration was inaugurated.
However, a democratic governance think tank, Ghana
Centre for Democratic Development, CDD-Ghana, is using the upcoming occasion to
commend President Akufo-Addo for giving impetus to the fight against corruption
by allocating a substantial 1.2 million Ghana cedis to the CHRAJ, to implement
activities under the National Anti-Corruption Action Plan, NACAP.
In a statement
signed by the Executive Director of CDD-Ghana, Gyimah- Boadi and copied to GBC,
the president was also applauded for the declaration to put an indefinite
freeze on the purchase of new vehicles and completely terminate the standing
policy that allowed government appointees to purchase their official vehicles.
The
statement deem these decisions as important symbolic steps towards promoting
good public financial management.
In respect of the latter policy, the Center
recommends that the NPP government pass a comprehensive law on the disposal of
all public assets to provide a long-term guideline for the disposal of these
assets.
The statement further congratulated President Akufo-Addo for the speed
with which he assembled his team of ministers and deputy ministers for the take-off
of the new government.
His effort,
according to the statement explains the rationale behind the nomination of
specific individuals for the respective ministerial positions.
It added that
the practice suggests the willingness of the President to subject his own logic
and reasoning to broad scrutiny, a healthy development for Ghana’s nascent
democracy, if sustained.
While acknowledging a number of refreshing developments
in the first 100 days of the Akufo-Addo led administration, the centre recounted
some condemnable acts perpetuated by allies and affiliated vigilante groups of
the NPP.
Such unhealthy acts, it noted, gives cause for dismay.
It cited the wrongful
takeover of state assets and public facilities including toilets, toll booths and
the unlawful seizure of vehicles of members of the previous administration.
It was
particularly concerned about the failure of government, and law enforcement
agencies to deal decisively with the NPP-affiliated vigilante groups, mainly
the Delta and Invincible Forces that invaded sensitive government installations,
including a Circuit Court in Kumasi.
In the light of this, CDD-Ghana is as well
acknowledging the commitment of the general public and the national security
hierarchy for the effort made to bringing those involved to justice as endorsed
by the President.
The Center fully endorses the calls for the immediate
disbandment of all political party-affiliated vigilante groups to uproot this
threat to national security.
The Center is convinced that, the more
credible way to deal with the canker of militant party-affiliated vigilantism
should, start with proactive de-politicization of state control of the police
and other national security agencies, including the appointment and transfers
of their leadership.
It also requires a firm stance to end the accompanying
partisanship in the deployment of security agencies, which breeds impunity
among incumbent government supporters and fosters mistrust among opposition
party supporters.
GBC
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