Lamtiig Apanga, Acting Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Gaming Commission of Ghana, has said former public officials should be prepared to account for their stewardship when called upon by state institutions.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s The Big Issue on July 18, Apanga rejected suggestions that investigations involving some former government officials should be viewed primarily as political persecution.
He criticised comments from sections of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) which have warned that political circumstances could be reversed should power change hands. Apanga said public office was held in trust and that elections should not be seen as a means of retaliating against political opponents.
“There’s no table that will turn,” he said, arguing that Ghanaians expected public officers to answer for decisions made during their time in office.
Apanga said political parties should encourage their members to cooperate with legitimate inquiries by state institutions rather than frame such processes as partisan disputes. He added that accountability was necessary to strengthen public confidence and ensure that public resources were properly accounted for.
Investigations involving former officials
His remarks come amid investigations by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) involving some officials from the previous administration, including Dennis Miracles Aboagye.
Aboagye, a former Executive Secretary of the Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee on Decentralisation, is being investigated over alleged financial and procurement irregularities said to total about GH¢55 million during his tenure.
He has denied wrongdoing and has maintained that actions taken under his leadership were within the law. Following his arrest and interrogation, he was granted bail of GH¢50 million with three sureties while investigations continue, according to the report.
The NPP has described arrests and investigations involving some of its members as politically motivated, saying those affected are being targeted because of their political affiliation. Apanga disagreed, maintaining that former office holders should respond to lawful requests from investigative bodies.
No finding of wrongdoing has been stated in relation to the allegations against Aboagye, and the EOCO investigation remains ongoing.
