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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.
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Speaker of Parliament inaugurates open Parliament Steering Committee, launches action plan
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has launched the Open Parliament Steering Committee and the Open Parliament Action Plan.
The ceremony was under the theme “Achieving Gender Equality: Action by Action.”
The Speaker highlighted the critical role Parliament plays in translating the will of the people into inclusive legislation, responsive policies, and accountable governance.
“The International Day of Parliamentarianism is worth celebrating, as it offers an opportunity not only to recognise and promote achievements in strengthening democratic governance, but also to pause and reflect on the remaining gaps in institutionalising parliamentary democracy,” he said.
He noted that the event was scheduled to coincide with the International Day of Parliamentarianism to reinforce the importance of open and inclusive governance.
The Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, stated that the International Day of Parliamentarianism is intended to recognise the vital role Parliaments play globally as pillars of democratic governance.
He noted that this marks the first time Ghana is formally observing the day.
“The gravity of our observance is further accentuated as we convene to witness the launch of the Open Parliament Action Plan by the Open Government Partnership Caucus,” he said.
Delivering a statement on behalf of the Minority Leader, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, the Deputy Minority Leader, Patricia Appiagyei, described the Open Parliament Action Plan as a transformative initiative aimed at strengthening the relationship between Parliament and the public.
She said the plan represents a bold commitment to making Parliament more transparent, accessible, and responsive to the needs of Ghanaians.
The Clerk to Parliament, Mr. Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, described the launch as a key milestone in the effort to build a citizen-focused and accountable Parliament.
He added that the International Day of Parliamentarianism is a call to action to recommit to the highest standards of public service and democratic accountability.
The inauguration was attended by a wide range of stakeholders, including the Majority and Minority Members of Parliament, members of the Open Parliament Steering Committee, the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Caucus, Parliamentary Network Africa, representatives from civil society organisations, members of the diplomatic corps, traditional and religious leaders, student bodies, the Parliamentary Press Corps, and other media partners.
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NACOC declares drug menace a national emergency
The Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Interior has paid a working visit to the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) to engage with its leadership and assess operational challenges hampering the fight against illicit drugs.
In a detailed presentation, Dr. Basha Ligbi, Head of the Commission’s Research Bureau, highlighted critical setbacks including broken body scanners at airport terminals, inadequate office infrastructure, overcrowded detention facilities, and deteriorating vehicles.
He also called for the Commission’s headquarters to be reclassified as a security zone, citing growing security risks due to private encroachment and nearby high-rise developments.
Director General of NACOC, Brigadier General Maxwell Obiba Mantey, described the escalating drug trade as a national emergency, warning that drug barons now rival armed robbers in threat level and are gaining influence at the highest levels.
He appealed for stronger institutional support and morale-boosting interventions to preserve the integrity of NACOC officers.
Chairman of the Committee and MP for Builsa North, James Agalga, assured the Commission of the Committee’s commitment to escalate the concerns to Parliament and engage key justice sector stakeholders to fast-track reforms in support of NACOC’s mandate.
