A Democracy and Development Fellow at CDD-Ghana, John Osae-Kwapong has stated that the fight against corruption is not just a legal battle but also a political one.

He explained that this is where President Akufo-Addo has faced challenges because certain actions, while legally correct, can have political consequences, fueling a negative narrative against him.

• Read also: There’s a deliberate effort to label my family and I as corrupt – Akufo- Addo

Speaking at the Annual Ghana Bar Association Conference in Kumasi on Monday, September 9, President Akufo-Addo stated that the opposition party is deliberately attempting to portray his government, his family, and himself as corrupt for political reasons.

According to him, this is a form of retaliation for the corruption allegations made against members of the John Mahama administration, some of which have resulted in criminal convictions, while others are still facing prosecution.

He also stated that his government had taken steps to fight corruption.

Speaking on JoyNews AM show, Dr Osae-Kwapong, said "The fight against corruption is not only a legal fight, it is also a political fight, and that is where the President has been hurt in the sense that some of these 'let's wait until the process is done,' which is right, but politically can hurt you, is what has fueled these narratives and has continued to persist."

He noted that President Akufo-Addo, as a candidate, campaigned vigorously on an anti-corruption platform and, after winning the presidency, implemented several institutional reforms to combat corruption.

Dr John Osae-Kwapong however said, under the Akufo-Addo administration, Afrobarometer has reported a rise in public perceptions of institutional corruption and a low approval rating for the government's efforts in fighting corruption.

"And for me, that is the point of reconciliation that is needed at some point—to be able to understand why these narratives have persisted in spite of the efforts around institutional reforms. That, for me, is what has really hurt the president when it comes to the issue of fighting corruption."