Corruption not African, it's a global problem – Ex-Ghana president

John Dramani Mahama, immediate past president of Ghana has slammed what he says is a humiliating tag of corruption on African countries.

According to him, corruption was a global cancer that required a concerted effort to fight. Mahama spoke exclusively to Africanews on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum on Africa held in Durban, South Africa.

‘‘I reject that tag (you know) of trying to humiliate African countries with the tag of corruption, corruption is a problem all across the world even in the developed world and so all of us must partner to continue to fight it.

‘‘I mean as you point one finger at somebody else, four fingers are pointing back at you what we don’t recognize is the success we’re having in the fight against corruption it is not the prosecution of people that shows that the fight is going on. It is the systems we put in place to prevent corruption that are important,’‘ he said.

Mahama further opined that beyond fighting corruption African countries should fight to achieve inclusive economic growth in order to cushion their most vulnerable class of people.

‘‘Yes, the fight against corruption must continue but at the same time we must make efforts to achieve inclusive growth, they are not exclusive of each other,’‘ he added.

Mahama defended his legacy over his period as president adding that since governance was a continuum, it was important for the new government under Nana Akufo-Addo to continue with projects his administration had started.

Mahama lost a second-term bid to Akufo-Addo in elections last year. He was the fourth president under Ghana’s 1992 constitution. He had previously served as vice-president and Member of Parliament – during which time he also held ministerial positions.