Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has delivered a scathing critique of President Akufo-Addo‘s administration, asserting that former President John Dramani Mahama, once deemed inadequate, now appears significantly better in comparison.
Mr Kpebu’s comments come amidst growing concerns over rampant corruption and economic challenges under the current government.
Kpebu, addressing the media during the “Hands off our hotels” demonstration on Tuesday, lamented the current state of governance, highlighting that Ghanaians are increasingly frustrated with the President’s handling of corruption.
“Ghanaians are very angry. I had to leave court and come here. But some people don’t have that luxury but every day when you interact with people, you will find out that people are very angry. They are dissatisfied with the corruption-ridden Akufo-Addo governance,” he said.
Reflecting on the decision made in 2016 to elect Akufo-Addo over Mahama, Kpebu admitted that the expectations from the current administration have not been met.
“We thought John Mahama was not good enough; that is why in 2016 we voted out JM thinking that Akufo-Addo was better. But now we’ve discovered that JM was way better,” he noted.
Kpebu underscored his argument by citing the Corruption Perception Index (CPI), noting that Ghana’s score has stagnated at 43 under Akufo-Addo for four consecutive years. This score, he pointed out, was the lowest recorded during Mahama’s tenure.
“Per the Corruption Perception Index, we’ve been at 43 for four years. Now 43 was the lowest the John Mahama administration got. So for four years, President Akufo-Addo’s best fight against corruption has always been at 43. He has plateaued, he can’t be better,” Mr Kpebu explained.
He expressed grave concerns over the frequency of new corruption scandals under the current administration, warning that the situation is likely to deteriorate further in 2024.
“Every day, a new scandal. One day, one scandal. That is why we are very angry. We thought he was Junior Jesus and that Akufo-Addo would live above corruption, not knowing that he is the epitome of corruption,” he stressed.