Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper Abdul Malik Kweku Baako is certain President Mahama’s claim that over 300 persons are being prosecuted for acts of corruption is a “slip of tongue”.
In his view, the first gentleman of the land will not put out such sensitive information without backing it with “further and better particulars”.
President Mahama made the disclosure whiles addressing a high-level conference on the National Anti-Corruption Action Plan (NACAP) in Accra on Monday December 8, 2014.
The prosecutions, he added, form part of efforts by his government to fight corruption in the country.
But his comment has generated controversy with many civil society groups including the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) challenging President Mahama to publish the names of the corrupt individuals- a challenge government has dismissed.
Speaking on Peace FM’s morning show, Kokrokoo Wednesday, Kwaku Baako said “assuming without admitting that the claim is true, the number will not be up to 300.
“I’m sure the president wanted to say 3, 13, 30 or 33 but certainly not 300” he scoffed.
The New Crusading Guide Editor could not fathom the “loud silence” of government communicators after the disclosure “considering the noise they make when it comes to government’s commitment to fighting corruption”.
Kwaku Baako called on government to quickly retract the ‘misinformation’ and announce the right figure to bring some closure to the matter.
“They [government] should have predicted people will ask for more details after the President’s claim. Sometimes we bring unnecessary distraction to ourselves” he added.
In support, former Member of Parliament for Mfantsiman East, George Kuntu Blankson said President Mahama should be ‘pardoned.’
He attributed the presidential ‘gaffe’ to the “printers devil or a slip of tongue”.
However, Kuntu Blankson maintained that the Mahama-led administration is working hard to nip the corruption canker in the bud.
