Geoffrey Kabutey Ocansey, the executive director of revenue mobilisation, has assigned President John Dramani Mahama a 50% score for his handling of corruption-related offences involving former appointees.
This assessment follows recent disclosures regarding fraudulent claims that have cost the nation significant financial resources.
The critique comes in the wake of a report presented to Parliament on Tuesday, March 9, 2026, by Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Ampem Nyarko on behalf of Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson. The report detailed a forensic audit of GH¢68.7 billion in inherited contractor arrears.
The government rejected GH¢8.1 billion in payment claims from various ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).
The Ghana Audit Service, alongside international firms EY and PwC, uncovered fictitious debts, forged documents, duplicated invoices, and claims for goods never delivered.
Mr Ocansey expressed concern that the state is not dealing ruthlessly enough with these offenders. Speaking on As it is in Ghana via Rainbow Radio (87.5FM / 92.4UK), he characterised modern corruption as a coordinated effort.
“Corruption is now an organised crime being orchestrated by people in power with support from civil servants and private individuals. Consistently, these individuals have stolen from the state, and yet we have failed in dealing with them as we should, so they believe they can continue with their criminal activities.”
To combat the culture of impunity, Mr Ocansey proposed the establishment of a “Hall of Shame” to publicly name those who have defrauded the state. He also emphasised that imprisonment should not be the only penalty.
“Let us not say we suspect some people have stolen from us. These individuals have stolen from us. We have to be blunt and state the facts. We cannot allow people to continue to steal from us. We have to interdict them or sack them and make them refund our stolen resources while we prosecute them. To the chiefs, pastors, and other influential people going about begging for those who have stolen from us: you must stop. If they don’t, we have to expose them so Ghanaians will know who they are.”
He further stated that “We have to establish a hall of shame where we keep the names of all those who stole from us and put their pictures there so Ghanaians will know who they are. We also have to add the amount of money they stole. We still have issues of the ‘no bed’ syndrome, terrible roads, and other challenges; we cannot continue to allow these nation-wreckers to destroy this country through their greed.”
Mr Ocansey pointed out a perceived double standard in the justice system, noting that ordinary citizens are jailed quickly for petty theft while high-level corruption cases drag on.
“The talking and explanations have become too many. We want action against all those accused of corruption. Our judiciary must act with speed on these cases. When you take the James Gyakye Quayson case and the speed at which it was adjudicated, we expect that all these corruption cases will be handled with similar urgency.”
He advised President Mahama to remain bold, warning that a failure to decisively tackle corruption would undermine his government’s credibility and destroy the goodwill he has earned from the public.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
