Avedzi Slams Lack of Accountability for Corrupt Officials, Calls for Harsher Penalties

In a strong critique of current measures to tackle corruption, James Klutse Avedzi, former Chairman of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), has called for stricter punishments for corrupt officials who misappropriate public funds.

While acknowledging that the recovery of stolen money is important, Avedzi believes that simply returning the funds is not enough and fails to address the root cause of corruption.

Speaking in an interview with Joy News’ PM Express Business Edition, Avedzi, who now serves as the Director General of the Securities and Exchanges Commission, emphasized that the absence of substantial penalties for corrupt practices is encouraging impunity among government officials.

He warned that allowing offenders to return stolen funds without facing legal consequences sets a dangerous precedent that could worsen corruption in the future.

“It’s good to recover the money, but we must not just focus on the recovery and forget the punishment,” Avedzi said. He painted a clear example of how corrupt individuals continue to benefit from their illegal activities.

“Someone steals $10 million and then makes an additional $5 million through trading. They’re caught, but they only return the $10 million. What about the $5 million profit they made? There’s no punishment for that,” he added.

Avedzi’s comments come at a time when public frustration is mounting over the lack of effective deterrents for corruption.

Many people, including government watchdogs and civil society organizations, have criticized the culture of impunity that allows corrupt officials to face no consequences other than returning the stolen funds.

The former PAC chairman’s call for more stringent legal actions aligns with ongoing efforts to address the broader issue of financial mismanagement in Ghana’s public sector.

He stresses that corruption is not a mere financial transaction that can be undone with a refund; it’s a criminal act that should be met with serious legal repercussions.

Despite the recovery efforts that have been made, Avedzi and others argue that these actions are insufficient and continue to allow corrupt behavior to flourish unchecked.

His statement reflects a broader movement pushing for deeper reform to ensure that public officials who steal from the state are held accountable and punished to the fullest extent of the law.