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Manasseh Azure reacts to President’s response to Martin Amidu
He writes
READING THE PRESIDENT’S RESPONSE CRITICALLY
I have just read the detailed response of the Presidency to Martin Amidu’s resignation letter and his (amidu’s) accusation of interference.
My first impression is the measured tone of the response to the strongly-worded letter from Amidu.
The president has denied ever interfering or asking Amidu to shelve the Agyapa Royalties report so that he (the president) would deal with the matter. It is Amidu’s word against the president’s word. And we may not know who is telling the truth apart from deciding to believe who we think will more likely be truthful on this matter.
What makes Amidu look very terrible in the president’s response is the detailed explanation of how Martin Amidu did not recruit even though he was given the clearance to do so.
Another detailed explanation that makes Martin Amidu look really terrible in the eyes of those who read the president’s response is how budgetary allocations were made available to him, but he failed to spend.
I don’t know what Martin Amidu has to say about those two main issues in the president’s response, but if you read the concluding part of the president’s response about the office space for the Office of the Special Prosecutor, you would understand why Martin Amidu could not have recruited or spent the money allocated to his office.
According to the response from the presidency, the search for a befitting office space started and concluded between September 2019 and September 2020. That problem was resolved about two months ago.
The three-bedroom office could not have contained the staff if Martin Amidu had recruited.
And if he didn’t recruit there would not be the need to spend. So if Martin Amidu can be blamed legitimately for not recruiting or spending, then that should be after two months ago.
It’s like giving a headmaster an office and enough money to admit students without first providing classrooms.
Martin Amidu should explain why he rejected the keys to his new office that was dispatched to him in an envelope. But as we await that explanation, it is important to ask whether that is the standard procedure for handing over a public building to an office such as the Office of the Special Prosecutor.
Should there not have been a more detailed process that gives an inventory of what was being handed to the OSP? Apart from the key, should there not be a list of facilities, the cost and other important considerations for the sake of accountability?
If Martin Amidu does not heed the advice of a delegation of eminent people who might be sent to him to call for a cease fire, we are likely to get a response from him.
Reading the president’s response, however, has given me a new perspective on the matter. The setting up of such an important office demanded more than just a law and a serious anti-corruption crusader.
It might not have been the duty of the president or the government, but more effort should have gone into making that office operational. Even if it meant hiring international consultants well-lettered in matters of security and systems needed to make such an important office effective, it should have been explored.
The OSP, like the BNI and EOCO should not just be put into any facility at all. What do they need in their interrogation rooms? What systems are needed to check those who would use the office to make money from the rich and corrupt targets of investigations?
Having said that, the fight against corruption will not go anywhere until we get a leader who is willing to fight it.
And where was the board of the OSP in all of this?
The Auditor General has been forced to go home because he was seriously fighting corruption and had taken the fight to the senior minister. If Martin Amidu is out because it’s his fault, what about Daniel Domelevo, the Auditor General?
As I type this, the Attorney General is sitting on a docket prepared by the Financial Forensic Unit of the Ghana Police Service which has concrete evidence of how over 200 million cedis was paid to Zoomlion and its subsidiaries but the public officials who paid the money cannot give evidence of work done. Not even one official could say he or she saw the work being executed but they paid.
This is just one of the many cases, which the Presidency is aware of, and we do not need a special prosecutor to punish these acts of corruption and deter others.
Manasseh Azure Awuni, November 18, 2020.
News
Govt urged to provide safe, supportive environment for menstruating girls
The government has been urged to take urgent steps toward providing a safe and supportive environment for menstruating girls to ensure proper personal hygiene and promote school attendance.
Sarah Nkansah Boateng, a midwife at the Eastern Regional Hospital made the call during a forum organised as part of activities to observe Menstrual Hygiene Day celebration in the New Juaben North Municipality of the Eastern Region.
The event was held under the theme “Together for a Period-Friendly World.”
She noted that many girls skip school during their menstrual periods due to a lack of access to sanitary products and appropriate spaces to change them.
“The basic necessities for these girls are not being provided; creating a safe and enabling environment is crucial,” Madam Boateng emphasized.
She called on school authorities and policymakers to prioritise the construction of hygienic and private changing spaces in schools.
She further appealed for a collective effort to address menstrual health challenges affecting girls in the community.
The New Juaben North Municipal Director of Health Services, Nana Yaa Konadu, also highlighted her office’s initiatives in both school-based and community clinics to educate young girls on menstrual hygiene.
She stressed the health implications of poor menstrual hygiene, saying, “When girls lack access to sanitary pads and a clean environment, it can negatively impact their reproductive health.”
Madam Konadu warned that the absence of menstrual hygiene facilities and products left some girls vulnerable to exploitation, increasing the risk of teenage pregnancy.
The Municipal Chief Executive for New Juaben North, Mr Samuel Adongo, described menstruation as a natural biological process and not a taboo or burden.
He expressed concern over the poor state of sanitation facilities in schools.
“I have visited almost all public schools in the municipality, and none has a proper, standard toilet facility suitable for girls,” he stated.
Mr Adongo assured that the assembly would work to create an enabling environment to reduce school absenteeism related to menstruation.
“Too many girls are missing school because of their menstrual cycle, and this is unacceptable,” he added.
From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman, Koforidua
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Akwesi Agyeman, Ekpe vow to lead GJA to ‘era of purpose and professionalism’
As the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) prepares for its national elections, two of the key contenders, General Secretary Aspirant Akwasi Agyeman and Vice Presidential hopeful Rebecca Ekpe have called for a return to ethical journalism, stronger mentorship and institutional reforms.
They both made the remarks during separate visits to The Spectator and The Ghanaian Times, respectively to solicit for votes.
Akwasi Agyeman, an Editor with Multimedia is seeking to lead the association into what he calls a “new era of purpose and professionalism.”
He stressed the urgent need to reposition the GJA as a strong and relevant voice in national affairs.
“We cannot continue with business as usual. The GJA must be visible, active, and fearless in advocating for the rights and welfare of journalists,” he said during a meeting with media practitioners in Accra.
Mr. Agyeman noted that his leadership will focus on building partnerships, improving member services, and restoring the dignity of the Association. “We need to rekindle the spirit of solidarity within the GJA and provide real value to members, especially the younger generation,” he added.
Ms Rebecca Ekpe, a respected Broadcast Journalist and Editor, echoed similar sentiments in her call for mentorship and capacity building.
“I discovered through my journey that journalism is not just my job, it is who I am. My path in journalism was shaped by my seniors in the newsroom, and now I feel called to give back,” she said.
Ms Ekpe envisions a GJA where senior journalists regularly engage with young professionals through face-to-face mentoring and training platforms. “Even if you attend a session and pick just one idea, it could change the course of your career,” she remarked.
She also raised concerns about the rise of misinformation and the blurred lines between journalism and social media content creation. “People sit online insulting others and call themselves journalists. When they are attacked, GJA defends them, but we must ask: are they truly journalists? We must protect the integrity of our profession,” she stressed.
The Editor of The Spectator, Mrs Georgina N.M Quaittoo wished them well in their campaigns and quest to serve the GJA.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
