Come clean on corruption against your government – Pelpuo to Akufo-Addo

The Member of Parliament for the Wa Central Constituency, Rashid Hassan Pelpuo has challenged President Nana Akufo-Addo to come clean on the numerous corruption allegations that continue to bedevil his government.

According to Pelpuo such claims have created what he described as “a bad niche” for the president which he said does not augur well for his image.

“The presidency has cut out a bad niche for himself…where you have a very senior member of the party (NPP) saying people are gatekeepers at the presidency who take about $20,000 before they allow other people to see the president. There’s also one influential member [of the NPP] who accused deputy chiefs of staff of collecting money before allowing people to see the president… There are so many things about corruption around the presidency,” he said.

The Wa Central MP who is also a former Minister of Sports made the remark on Citi FM’s news analysis programme, The Big Issue on Saturday in relation to the alleged indictment of the President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kwesi Nyantakyi in video put together by investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas and his Tigereye PI team.

The film has not been publicly screened yet, but reports say Mr Nyantakyi who has been the president of GFA for 13 years was captured negotiating a deal using the name of President Nana Akufo-Addo.

A Deputy Chief of Staff, Abu Jinapor, at a press conference last week said the GFA President was seen trying to secure investments in the name of the President, Vice President, and other key government officials adding that Akufo-Addo directed the Criminal Investigations Department to arrest Nyantakyi.

Kwesi Nyantakyi has officially been charged with defrauding by false pretence.

Some damning allegations of corruption have been leveled against the president including the “Cash for Seat” saga.

In all such instances, the claims were rubbished but Mr. Pelpuo is of the view that the Akufo-Addo cannot be absolved from his name allegedly being used by Nyantakyi to seal a deal.

“It is difficult to completely absolve the presidency,” he said adding that “What I can say is that it might be something people can joke about but the presidency has to come clean as to whether it is true that people would have to take money before they allow others to see the president. It also played out in the cash for seat saga. There are so many things about corruption around the presidency. So I don’t want to go in there and say the current exposé doesn’t matter.”

Don’t interfere in investigation against Nyantakyi

He further urged the President not to interfere in the investigations against the GFA president.

“This matter should be left to be investigated in a way that wouldn’t have the president interfering,” he added.