Physician and political activist Dr. Arthur Kennedy has called on President John Dramani Mahama to take firm action on accountability, warning that failure to do so could set a dangerous precedent for future leaders.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, March 8, Dr. Kennedy stressed that the era of political rhetoric must end, and the government must ensure that individuals responsible for financial mismanagement and corruption face consequences.
“I fear that in four years, we will realise that most of the people who ran the country into the ground were never held accountable. That would be sad because it would signal to future leaders that they, too, can get away with corruption,” he cautioned.
He added that President Mahama’s leadership could risk being defined by mere talk if decisive action is not taken against those who mismanaged the economy.
“The campaign is over. At this stage, we should be executing and demanding accountability. We need to put people in the docks to answer questions—why was this done? Why was that done? And at the end of the day, some people must be punished,” he stated.
Dr. Kennedy also raised concerns about potential corruption even within Operation Recover All Loots (ORAL), the government’s anti-corruption task force, emphasizing the need for genuine accountability.
While acknowledging President Mahama’s strong speech at the National Economic Dialogue, he insisted that a leader’s legacy is defined by actions, not words.
“Talk is good. He talks well. But a president’s legacy is based on what he does, not just on what he says. He needs to do things,” he remarked.
He further pointed to issues such as the Bank of Ghana’s headquarters project, whose costs have reportedly tripled, and the banking sector reforms that led to the collapse of several banks, noting that these matters require deeper scrutiny.
His remarks add to growing calls for President Mahama to take a firmer stance on corruption and accountability as his administration progresses.