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Manasseh Azure reacts to President’s response to Martin Amidu
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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.
The Commercial National Motor Riders Union (CNMRU) has dismissed claims that the government has failed commercial motorbike riders after receiving their support during the 2024 general election campaign.
The union described allegations by a group known as the Okada Riders Association (ORAG) as false and misleading, insisting that the government has taken concrete steps towards legalising and regulating commercial motorcycle operations.
In a statement issued after a press conference on August 18, the CNMRU stated that the government established a technical committee after the 2024 elections to conduct research and engage stakeholders on the regulation of Okada operations.
According to the union, it has been actively involved in the process, representing the interests of commercial motor riders across the country.
It added that a delegation of stakeholders travelled to Rwanda to study that country’s system for regulating commercial motorcycle operations.
The delegation included representatives of the CNMRU, the National Road Safety Authority, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) and the Ministry of Transport, the statement noted.
The union further stated that the bill on the regulation of commercial motorcycle operations has been laid before Parliament and is going through the legislative process.
“This is concrete progress, and it demonstrates that the government has not abandoned the Okada riders,” the CNMRU stated.
It also said sensitisation programmes were ongoing across the country to educate riders on road safety, licensing, responsible riding and the expected legal framework for commercial motorcycle operations.
The union noted that it was working with the government and the DVLA to bring mobile licensing services closer to riders and assist them in obtaining driving licences at subsidised rates.
It also welcomed plans to establish an electric motorcycle initiative in Ghana, which it said would provide commercial riders with access to environmentally friendly motorcycles under a work-and-pay arrangement.
The CNMRU explained that it supported President John Dramani Mahama and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) during the 2024 election campaign because of their commitment to address the legal and regulatory challenges facing commercial motor riders.
“We supported a commitment, and today we are witnessing concrete steps toward fulfilling that commitment,” it stated.
However, the union acknowledged that not all the challenges facing Okada riders had been resolved.
It urged commercial motor riders, the media and the public to distinguish between what it described as political propaganda and the work being undertaken to regulate the sector.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has commended The Fourth Estate for its investigative report into the attestation process, while announcing measures to improve the service and prevent the activities of middlemen.
The Ministry, in a press statement issued on Thursday, September 3, 2026, acknowledged an online report published by The Fourth Estate on September 2 concerning an undercover investigation into attestation services provided by state institutions.
It praised the media organisation for its investigative work, noting that such efforts contribute to good governance, public accountability and improved service delivery.
The Ministry, however, clarified that the man implicated in the investigation is not a staff member of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to the Ministry, the individual has been sanctioned by his respective institution and reported to law enforcement agencies for further investigation and possible prosecution.
It added that he has also been prohibited from entering the premises of the Ministry.
The Ministry maintained that it has a zero-tolerance policy towards middlemen and third-party facilitators who seek to profit from the acquisition of attestation documents.
It condemned the activities of what it described as unscrupulous middlemen who take advantage of vulnerable members of the public.
The Ministry explained that the attestation process involves several institutions across different arms of government, making coordination important to maintaining the integrity of the process.
It said efforts to strengthen coordination among the institutions involved had been ongoing for several months, even before The Fourth Estate’s investigation.
Attestation process to go digital
The Ministry disclosed that comprehensive reforms are underway to make the attestation process more efficient and reduce direct human interaction.
According to it, plans are being pursued to make payments for attestation services cashless, while digital platforms are also being developed to support the entire process.
The Ministry expressed confidence that the reforms would produce results similar to improvements achieved in Ghana’s passport application and administration processes.
It further reminded the public that the Parliament-approved fee for attestation is GH¢200.
The fee, it explained, is collected by officials of the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department, who issue the appropriate receipts.
The Ministry warned the public against using middlemen, stressing that engaging their services is strictly illegal.
It encouraged anyone with information, enquiries or complaints concerning the attestation process to contact the Ministry.
The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining transparency, integrity and ethical standards in the delivery of its services.
By: Jacob Aggrey
