Government has debunked claims by some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) including CDD-Ghana that suggests sending Auditor General Daniel Domelevo on leave will derail the fight against corruption.
According to the CSO’s, the legal justification presented by President Akufo Addo for directing the A-G to proceed on leave is untenable and derails government’s commitment to fighting corruption.
They have further threatened to go to court for redress and further interpretation of the law should government refuse to rescind its decision.
However, Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah in reaction welcomed the resistance by the CSO’s describing it as a move that strengthens the country’s democracy. Nevertheless, he rejected claims that Domelevo’s leave will affect the fight against corruption.
“What is happening today, I think it’s good for our democracy. You’ll recall that this is not the first time a sitting President has exercised the powers under the labour act reference to somebody in the audit service in this manner,” Oppong Nkrumah said.
He added, “I do not recall civil society groups coming together to do a press conference and to launch a hashtag to say that that action was unconstitutional and must be reversed as it is happening in this particular matter and I think that, that is a growth of our democracy that when civil society groups believe that they hold a position that they firmly hold onto, they should be able to come forward and take it up a notch higher beyond what they would have done at lectures in times past and I think that is a growth in our democracy.
“But we respectfully disagree with them. If it is their view that the actions should not have been exercised because in their opinion it will undermine Ghana’s ranking on international platforms when it comes to anti-corruption fight, I’m sure there will be others who will disagree with that.”
President Akufo Addo obn June 29, 2020 directed Mr Domelevo to take his accumulated annual leave of 123 working days.
A response by the Auditor General disagreeing with the President’s stance, further led to the increase of his leave from 123 days to 167.
Source: GhanaFeed.com
