President John Dramani Mahama says attempts to paint his government as the worst corrupt regime in the history of Ghana will fall flat, dismissing claims that rate of corruption has increased under his government.

He argued the Corruption Perception Index (CPI), a global corruption report by Transparency International (TI), has repeatedly shown that Ghana is making progress in its corruption fight.

“This anecdotal shouting about corruption as if corruption has exploded under a particular government because we want to gain political traction is not on point,” he said.

President Mahama disclosed this when he met religious leaders in the country to interact with them ahead of the November 2016 polls.

The President has, for the past week, come under untold criticisms following findings of Joynews’ Manasseh Azure Awuni investigation which established he was gifted a Ford Expedition vehicle valued at $100,000 by a Burkinabe contractor, Oumarou Djibril Kanazoe.

The revelation was potent enough to irritate Ghanaians resulting in calls by some lawyers and opposition political parties for the President to be impeached over what they described as his disregard for anti-corruption guidelines in the country.

Three groups made up of the youth wing of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), a private person and the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) have, thus far, petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to probe the President for possible conflict of interest situation in the matter.

President Mahama had earlier declined to comment on the matter during his “Accounting to the people’s tour” in the Greater Accra Region but made a sweeping statement telling his critics to focus on their campaign and stop the attack on him.

Reacting to the issue for the first time, he said: “recently there is the issue of a Ford Expedition. I have never been under the illusion that that vehicle was a gift to the State and it’s never been used for my personal comfort.”

In his attempt to douse the allegation, Mahama explained his dislike for American cars saying “I use Japanese cars [and] Toyota is my car.”

“This is a matter for the Commission on Human Rights, I hear there is a petition there and appropriately we will respond to it,” he said.

The President also used the opportunity to address the issue of sole sourcing of government contracts which has become an issue in the country.

According to him, “There are some circumstances where sole sourcing is allowed under the law but then I have given a directive and that directive is being implemented that every sole sourcing must be subjected to value for money.”

Elucidating the process, he said before contracts are given out, they are given to a private accounting firm, Crown Agent to go through to determine if the country is getting value for money in those contracts.

He, however, noted perception of corruption is high in Ghana because the nation has a “liberal media than in other countries” where media freedom is denied.

Speaking to Joynews after the meeting, General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana, Rev. Dr. Opuni-Frimpong, said it is important prayers are offered for the leaders of the country.

“They [leaders] also need pastors to encourage them,” he said, adding “The meeting was very clear that we all want the best for our people.”