Founder of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC), Dr. Mensa Otabil has charged President Mahama to begin the fight against corruption by tackling corrrupt elements within his government.

“You don’t fight corruption by attacking your enemies; you start by cleaning your house,” he said.

Speaking at a forum organized by IMANI Ghana and Occupy Ghana, a pressure group, Dr. Otabil said “if you fight corruption you are going to hit people and you will be misunderstood but if he hits himself first, and his cabinet and his party and then his government then it goes down to all of us then we can say he is fair.”

President Mahama had bemoaned the level of opposition he receives from some government accountants in his bid to fight corruption.

“Our systems are weak. We need to strengthen those systems,” he lamented.

Dr. Otabil said “I know it’s going to be difficult and lonely. In fact it is a huge challenge. He will be misunderstood because one thing about human beings; you can’t please them.”

Corruption in the country according to the Head of the Human Security Department of the National Security Secretariat, Brigadier-General Joseph Nunoo-Mensah (rtd) has reached an epidemic status.

Currently, the National Service Secretariat (NSS) Boss is in the grips of the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) for defrauding the state. He has been accused of paying allowances to over 22,000 non-existent service personnel.

Other corruption scandals that have plagued the country include the infamous payment of GHC 51 million to businessman, Alfred Woyome and the Commissioner of CHRAJ, Lauretta Lamptey’s decision to spend about 180,000 dollars on rent.

The Sole Commissioner investigating the judgment debts has also ended its sittings and is yet to suggest some recommendations on effective ways of dealing with the corruption canker to government.