Gov’t vows to 'crush' “Enemies of the Nation”

Dr Kwabena Duffour, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning         The Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr Kwabena Duffour has commended investigative journalists, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, for his latest expose of graft, pilfering and plain stealing going on at the Tema Port. He has promised to “use all the necessary administrative and legal means to retrieve every pesewa lost to the state through the nefarious and unscrupulous activities of some CEPS, GPHA, other institutions and individuals indicted in the footage.” Any officials found to have engaged in conducts that amount to subverting the state and undermining its revenue mobilizations efforts, the Finance Ministry said, will “not only face disciplinary action but would be handed over to the criminal investigations arm of government for prosecution.” Anas and a team of investigators working for the New Crusading Guide newspaper, produced a one-and-a-half hour video footage of widespread bribe taking and deliberate tampering of the IT systems at the port for personal gain. The team claims hundreds of millions of dollars were lost to the state as a result of the connivance of some officials of the Customs Excise and Preventive Service with businessmen and women to evade tax. A statement issued by the ministry and signed by the Media Liaison, Abdul Hakim Ahmed, promised that the government will “seek legal administrative advice to review the activities of institutions like the GPHA (Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority) and Destination Inspection Companies including GCNET.” The statement said a committee has been set up to look into the findings contained in the footage and appealed to the judiciary and the security agencies to help ensure that officials working for the state and yet stabbing it in the back answer for their misdeeds. Story by Malik Abass Daabu/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana