Vice-President of the Republic, Dr. Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia, has indicated that the signing of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Bill into law by President Nana Addo Dankwa-Addo on January 2, 2017, will bring back discipline which has over the years been waning in the Ghanaian society.
According to him, both past and present public officers will be under the microscope and held to account for their actions per the dictates of the new law.
This, he noted, will help to fight corruption and ensure prudent use of the country’s scarce resources for the benefit of all.
Dr. Bawumia made this observation when addressing the 86th Annual National Convention of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission at Baghe-E-Ahmad (Pomadze) on Thursday, January 4, 2018.
He was the guest of honour at this year’s event which was under theme: “Ensuring a Disciplined Society: The Role of Religion”.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor Act seeks to investigate specific cases of corruption involving public officers and politically exposed persons in the performance of their functions as well as persons in the private sector implicated in the Commission of corruption.
It also seeks to prosecute offences on the authority of the Attorney-General and provide for related matters and as well recover the proceeds of corruption and corruption related offences.
Speaking further on the matter, Dr. Bawumia bemoaned the prevalence of high levels of corruption, stealing of public and private funds through inflation of contracts, under invoicing and over-invoicing, tax avoidance and tax evasion among others and questioned whether religion has been successful in moulding the Ghanaian society towards acceptable behaviours.
To avert all these vices, he said there is the need for continuous inculcation of discipline into the moral fabric of the Ghanaian people and was very optimistic that the Office of the Special Prosecutor Law will help in that direction.
Nonetheless, he challenged the various religious bodies to do more in shaping society towards acceptable behaviours.
“Religious bodies have the mandate to provide training that is capable to transform society and the individual. Without this guidance, the human being, in his physical state, has the tendency towards unacceptable behaviours. Religion is supposed to regulate man’s behavior in such a way that mankind is guided through reason and understanding. This brings a person’s physical state under control in an orderly and proper manner.
