General News of Monday, 16 January 2012

Source: Obed Boafo

Amidu Must Go: Nyaho-Tamakloe

A leading member of the opposition New Patriotic Party Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe has called on Ghana’s Attorney General Martin Amidu to resign honourably from his current occupation as AG.

The call by the former ambassador to Serbia and Montenegro is premised on a recent damaging statement issued by Amidu, indicting the NDC government and severely dealing a blow to the Mills-led administration, over what looks like hidden secrets unknown to the Ghanaian people but very well known within government quarters.

He lauded the Minister for coming out boldly in a way that according to him “is very rare in our African setting”.

“You don’t see that kind of thing here in our setting. To be more precise, you hardly see this amongst politicians who for reasons best known to them preside over crass and filthiness”.

Amidu according to Nyaho-Tamakloe has put his best foot forward, as a potential leader someday, with this singular brave act.

He however believed he can find a fitting way to resign from government, insisting that, “that will be the most honourable thing to do”. “I don’t know why in this country, resignation is a difficult thing for us to do. Amidu can earn for himself more respect than he is currently enjoying if he does the sensible thing of resigning. Staying in government any longer, defeats the reason and braveness he had to issue such a revealing statement”. “This is one common thing you find in developing democracies, where the least mistake would lead to someone resigning from his position. That culture is what this country really needs”.

He added that Ghana has seen a lot of abuse of office and incumbency over the years because most people were afraid to speak their minds, leading to the rot we sometimes find ourselves in, insisting that Amidu has more than anything, stated his case.

“I believe he has clearly stated his position, and it is proper that he leaves his office, to avoid any more embarrassment”.

The only occasion according to Nyaho-Tamakloe that a minister of state had a good reason to resign, “was during the reign of the National Liberation Council (NLC), where the then Information Minister K.G Osei-Bonsu, resigned on principle, a rare feat in the Ghanaian setting”. Across the various political divide, there is a growing call for Amidu to resign over what seems like a love-gone-sour tale, with the leadership of government, in series of back and forth silent but troubling storms, that threatens his position as AG.

He took to the media days ago to register his protest over the way and manner the Mills-led government has in collusion with a colleague Minister, used a section of pro-NDC media to virtually slay him.

He has accused the government of shelving and presiding over gargantuan crimes against the people of Ghana.

His full statement has not gone down well with the government. “It is rather amazing that such a bold and brave minister of state does not have the backing of a president who proclaims that he frowns upon corruption and dishonesty in general ,” Nyaho-Tamakloe said.