National Democratic Congress General Secretary Fifi Kwetey has issued a stern warning to party lawyers attempting to negotiate deals for officials facing corruption prosecution, declaring such activities undermine the government’s accountability mandate.
Kwetey accused some NDC lawyers of inhibiting government efforts to prosecute individuals found guilty of wrongdoing, speaking at the 5th Annual General Conference of NDC lawyers on Friday evening.
“Despite the fact that pleas and pressure are coming from the public that punishment has to be meted and this must be done properly, some among us are busy trying to cut deals with people who are supposed to be prosecuted,” Kwetey stated during his address to the legal conference.
The General Secretary declined to identify specific individuals involved in the alleged deal-making but hinted that names would be revealed if necessary. “I’m not mentioning names. A time will come when we have to,” he said to loud applause from the audience.
Kwetey indicated the party has intelligence about attempts by party members to negotiate arrangements with persons on the government’s prosecution list, representing a significant breach of the administration’s anti-corruption stance.
“Some are becoming conduit through whom pressure is being brought to bear on people who are supposed to do what is right,” the former Agriculture Minister stressed, emphasizing that such behavior contradicts the electoral mandate that brought the NDC to power.
The warning comes as the Operation Recover All Loots (ORAL) committee continues processing corruption cases from the previous administration. Deputy Attorney-General Dr. Srem Sai recently defended the pace of prosecutions, noting that legal vacation periods have contributed to delays in court proceedings.
Kwetey’s comments reflect growing frustration within the NDC about perceived attempts to subvert accountability processes that formed a cornerstone of the party’s campaign messaging. “This victory was achieved largely because the people of Ghana wanted the right thing done. Not for deals to be cut,” he warned.
The General Secretary specifically cautioned against establishing precedents that could benefit future wrongdoers. “For them to say, okay, now that we are on the other side, we cut deals so that tomorrow you also can get a deal cut. No, it won’t happen,” he declared emphatically.
Dr. Srem Sai’s recent comments about ORAL cases suggest the legal process remains active despite public concerns about slow progress. Speaking to TV3’s Joseph Ackah-Blay on September 3, he explained that the Adu Boahene case had progressed significantly before legal vacation temporarily halted proceedings.
“To the extent that for Adu Boahene, we have covered 1/3rd of the case, if not for the legal vacation, which stops the court for two months, we would probably have concluded our case,” the Deputy Attorney-General explained, defending the prosecution timeline.
The Deputy Attorney-General emphasized the thoroughness of ongoing investigations while acknowledging public impatience. “The public will say they don’t see anything, but the point I am trying to make is that the expectation is legitimate because of what we have witnessed, but the work we are doing is very thorough and vibrant.”
Kwetey stressed that proper due diligence must be conducted in prosecuting persons found to have breached the law, while warning against any attempts to compromise the judicial process through behind-the-scenes negotiations.
The NDC leader’s warning reflects concerns that some party members may be prioritizing personal relationships or financial incentives over the administration’s commitment to transparency and accountability in governance.
The tension between political considerations and legal processes has emerged as a significant challenge for the NDC government, which campaigned extensively on anti-corruption messaging and promises to hold previous officials accountable.
Kwetey’s public rebuke of party lawyers suggests internal disagreements about how aggressively to pursue corruption cases while maintaining due process and avoiding politically motivated prosecutions that could set dangerous precedents.
