The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has impressed upon anti-corruption agencies in the country to be resolute in the discharge of their duties.

He asked them to be firm, fearless and committed to duty to enable them to expose corrupt officials whose actions and inactions tended to impede national development.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu said this would also ensure the success of the campaign against bribery and dissipation of state funds by unscrupulous people in authority.

The Asantehene made the call when Mrs. Helena Bekoe, a Senior Official of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), called on him at the Manhyia palace in Kumasi on Wednesday, May 30, 2007.

Mrs. Bekoe who was accompanied on her visit by Samuel Sarpong, Ashanti Regional Director of the SFO, was there to participate in the celebration of the "Awukudae", one of the sacred Wednesdays on the Asante Calendar.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu charged the staff of the SFO to live above reproach and always strive for excellence to serve the purpose for which government established the office.

He appealed to people in authority to be transparent, accountable and dedicated to the good cause of the nation since Ghana could realize her development goals only through responsible leadership.

The Asantehene affirmed his commitment to sustaining the numerous development projects he had initiated to raise the standards of living of the people.

Mrs. Bekoe gave the assurance that the SFO would work hard to justify the purpose for which it was established, and called on stakeholders to complement government's effort to ensure a corrupt free country.

In a related development, a 60-member delegation of the World Cocoa Foundation also called on the Asantehene to take part in the celebration.

The delegation which was led by Messrs Bill Guyton and John Hang, President and Chairman respectively of the Foundation, presented a shield to Otumfuo Osei Tutu for his dedicated service to the people.

The World Cocoa Foundation is an international cocoa industry sponsored organization, which supports sustainable cocoa growing throughout the world.

Source: GNA