Minister for Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, says President John Mahama in conjunction with some civil service organisation is dedicated to fighting corruption from when voted into office.

Haruna Iddrisu says President Mahama making corruption a high-risk activity and punishable in accordance with the rule of law shows desire to fight the canker in public institutions.

Speaking on transparency and accountability to the teeming supporters at the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) manifesto launch at the Sunyani Coronation Park in the Brong Ahafo Region on Saturday, the Tamale South Member of Parliament (MP) reacted to criticisms about corruption.

Some anti-corruption organisations have questioned the President’s anti-corruption vision since the highlight of the manifesto launch in Accra on Tuesday was silent on corruption.

Mr Iddrisu said President Mahama and the NDC recognises that corruption has a debilitating effect on governance and can weigh public confidence in the political system thus the introduction of the Sunshine Law to fight corruption.

“There are a dedicated commitment and chapter on combating corruption, white-collar criminality, illegal trafficking and money-laundering,” he said.

“And therefore investigative bodies, prosecution bodies, will be strengthened as they are being strengthened today to support President Mahama’s quest to fight corruption,” he added.

According to him, President Mahama pledges that every district assembly, municipal and metropolitan, will now have a dedicated representative of the Attorney General to help with the prosecution of corruption cases.

“The President has submitted to Parliament what we call the Sunshine Law, to expose corruption through the freedom of information act and public officers’ accountability act and others in order to deepen transparency and accountability in government," he said.

He said the President is collaborating with the judiciary as well as acknowledges the role of a critical independent media and civil society in fighting corruption and will continue to give his support to all these entities to make it an unprofitable venture.

However, an anti-corruption advocate with Transparency International, Linda Ofori Kwafo says it is not enough for the party to talk and write beautifully about anti- corruption measures, and fail to tell how they were going to achieve that.

"What the Minister presented is not comprehensive enough, I am hoping the manifesto will a comprehensive section that deals with corruption," she said.

She, however, said she is waiting to see what the other parties have in store in their manifestos as their anti-corruption measures in fighting corruption.

source:myjoyonline.com