Divine Nkrumah, the Director of Operations for the Progressive People’s Party (PPP)
Divine Nkrumah, the Director of Operations for the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), has categorically stated that despite any gains made by the current administration, it has failed to prioritise the arrest and prosecution of former appointees alleged to have stolen state resources.
He expressed deep frustration with the legal protection often afforded to those accused of corruption.
He noted that it is “disgusting” how the “innocent until proven guilty” mantra is used as a shield. To him, it is particularly offensive to see these individuals walking free and openly criticising the current government.
He argued that the annual Auditor-General’s report which consistently captures misappropriation, embezzlement, and theft provides more than enough evidence to prove that these individuals have defrauded the state.
Speaking on As It Is Ghana via Rainbow Radio (87.5 FM Ghana and 92.4 FM UK), Nkrumah warned the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) not to fail in prosecuting and retrieving every single pesewa stolen by former officials.
He noted that the public’s patience is wearing thin, describing the government’s slow pace in tackling what he termed “organised crime” as “nauseating”.
Regarding specific scandals, he highlighted the National Cathedral project, saying, ‘The National Cathedral project, where they misappropriated funds to dig the world’s most expensive hole, is a serious matter they have to deal with. They have not given us any update on this project, nor have they provided new information as to whether this matter can be prosecuted and our resources retrieved.”
Divine Nkrumah also addressed instances where individuals have offered to pay back stolen funds, arguing that such offers are a clear admission of guilt that should lead to immediate prosecution.
“In some of these cases, the individuals involved have admitted to the crime and are willing to pay back. This is purely an admission of guilt, and we must prosecute them. We cannot allow people to come into the office, steal from us, admit to the crime, return part of the money, and go unpunished. If this is the democracy Ghana is practising, then I don’t want to be part of it.”
He insisted that the fight against corruption must be aggressive enough to make the practice entirely unattractive to public officials.
“The impatience of Ghanaians in the fight against corruption is justified. By now, we should have two or three of the thieves who stole our resources in jail… The people we suspect of stealing our resources are the ones now criticising this government. If ‘Operation Recover All Loot’ fails, the democracy of Ghana will crash.”
Divine Nkrumah took a hardline stance on how these individuals should be addressed by the public:
“We will call these individuals ‘thieves’ until they have been proven otherwise. You were appointed to head an institution like the National Service, and you embezzled funds or stole our resources, yet you say we should not call you thieves until you’ve been proven guilty by a competent court of jurisdiction? You’re a thief, and we will call you as such until you’ve been proved innocent.”
While harsh on the issue of corruption, he did acknowledge some successes under President Mahama’s leadership.
He admitted that, from a general outlook, the president has delivered on several promises, including maintaining a stable economy, appointing a manageable number of officials, and posting teachers and nurses.
He ended by comparing recent addresses to the nation, asserting that President John Dramani Mahama’s State of the Nation Address showed more substance than those delivered by former President Akufo-Addo, whom he claimed spoke only “English without substance”.
