In a strongly worded statement, CADeP warned that Ghana is “drowning in statutes” while accountability remains elusive. The think tank said the unch
In a strongly worded statement, CADeP warned that Ghana is “drowning in statutes” while accountability remains elusive. The think tank said the unchecked cycle of waste, corruption, and impunity stems not from a lack of laws but from a chronic failure to enforce them.
Citing the Auditor-General’s 2022 Report, CADeP noted that nearly GH₵17 billion in financial irregularities were uncovered, including procurement breaches and unaccounted-for expenditures. Yet, recovery of the sums has been negligible, with culprits often escaping sanctions.
Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), according to CADeP, repeatedly confronts Ministries, Departments, and Agencies over recurring breaches, including failure to produce receipts for public spending, but little deterrence has been achieved.
Similarly, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) have struggled to secure meaningful convictions, despite high-profile cases such as the Cecilia Dapaah cash scandal.
The Judiciary was also cited for delays, with CADeP highlighting the protracted trial of MenzGold CEO Nana Appiah Mensah (NAM 1) as emblematic of a sluggish justice system.
“Passing laws while ignoring enforcement is like patching a leaking roof by adding another floor to the house,” said Johanes Koku Nyagblordzro, Executive Chairman of CADeP.
“Ghanaians are frustrated. They see reports piling up, culprits named, yet no meaningful punishment or recovery of stolen funds. We cannot legislate our way out of corruption; we must enforce our way out,” he added,
CADeP has therefore called for:
• a parliamentary pause – a moratorium on new laws to allow Parliament to focus on oversight and compliance.
• institutional accountability – ensuring that offices such as the Auditor-General, OSP, EOCO, CHRAJ, and the Judiciary translate reports into real sanctions, prosecutions, and recoveries.
• civil society vigilance – urging media, advocacy groups, and citizens to press for enforcement rather than endless lawmaking.
The organization warned that if Ghana continues to churn out laws without enforcing them, the cycle of waste and corruption will deepen, development funds will continue to vanish, and public faith in democratic governance will erode.
Source – 3News