The Chairman of the Coalition of Stakeholders on Electricity Contracts and Arrangements, Dr Steve Manteaw, says the government should take a firm stance against corruption, including bringing criminal charges against its officials who engage in corrupt practices.

Commenting on the recent jailing of the former CEO of MASLOC on Joy FM’s News File on April 20, Dr Manteaw said this is good for the country because corruption has gone on for far too long without major consequences for those who engage in it.

“For far too long have these types of things gone on within the politics of Ghana without consequences. And I think that as these prosecutions are secured time and again, it will bode well for the country.”

The former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu was sentenced to 10 years in prison with hard labour for various acts of stealing that caused financial loss to the state.

Also, the former Chief Operating Officer of MASLOC, Daniel Axim, was handed a five-year jail term with hard labour.

The two were found guilty on 78 counts relating to causing financial loss to the state, theft, conspiracy to steal, money laundering, and contravening public procurement laws.
According to Dr Manteaw, the fight against corruption should not be driven by partisan considerations, but rather a comprehensive effort targeting all offenders regardless of their political affiliation.

“I want to believe that similar things are happening under this very government and we want to see action against government’s own appointees in a way that sends a signal that the law is no respecter of persons,” he said.

A former Deputy Attorney-General and Minister for Justice who was a guest on the show, said the malfeasance that occurred at MASLOC, is unacceptable.

According to Joseph Dindiok Kpemka Esq, he was taken aback the first time he reviewed documents on the case.

He said he could not believe it because the facts were concocted, stressing, “Because this was just not stealing, but naked thievery.”

“In one of the charges, the boss of MASLOC decided to give a loan to a rural bank and they did not even reach any agreement, yet the money was transferred to the rural bank. When the money got to the account of the rural bank, the people then asked what is the interest rate from the money you had sent to us.

“Imagine, something you should have done earlier was not done, then the interest rate was quoted by Sedina. When the interest rate was quoted, the rural bank management said the interest rate you’ve quoted, if we take this money, we cannot make any money out of it so we want to return it to you.”

Mr Kpemka emphasised that, as a matter of good corporate practice, the former CEO of MASLOC should have corresponded with the bank, providing her organisation's account details for the rural bank to directly deposit the money into, thereby ensuring transparency and accountability through the production of receipts.

“You know what she said, she directed them to cash the money and bring it to Accra and then they cashed the money in a GhanaMustGo and carried it to Accra, they met at Baatsona Total filling station and the money was packed into her boot and she drove away,” he said.