Special Prosecutor just confirmed: Akufo-Addo lacks credibility and can’t be trusted

I have had doubts as to the credibility of President Akufo-Addo for some time now but the Special Prosecutor, Mr Martin Amidu, just confirmed my doubts. What Akufo-Addo told us when he was seeking our mandate and when he assumed the Presidency is at variance with what he is actually doing.

It seemed to me he has been doing exactly the opposite of what he said he would do or the opposite of what he said he would not do. What a relief to have Martin Amidu take me out of my doubts. Why do I say so?

First, let me tell you why I had doubts about the credibility of President Akufo-Addo. He said he was not going to run a family and friends government but he did the opposite by having over 70 members of his family and friends occupying the high profile positions in his government. He said he will protect the public purse and he did exactly the opposite.

Appointed 125 ministers with its associated cost and his reason was that he was in a hurry and that as long as the job gets done, it is not an issue. Has the job been done? He said he would not borrow and that Ghana was sitting on money.

What did he do? He borrowed over GHS140 billion which is more than what all governments since independence have together borrowed. He said he would not be cutting sod and commissioning projects in the last months of an election. What are we seeing? Even toilets are being commissioned.

Secondly, let me take you to why I say Martin Amidu has confirmed my doubt. President Akufo-Addo again said he would not run a corrupt government and that he was incorruptible and would deal ruthlessly with corruption. He, therefore, set up the Office of the Special Prosecutor. This turned out to be the biggest deception.

On September 10, 2019, when addressing the Ghana Bar Association in Takoradi, he said every single alleged act of corruption levelled against any of his appointees is being or has been investigated by independent bodies not him.

He again said it was not his job to clear or convict any person accused of wrongdoing or engaging in acts of corruption but then if an appointee is cleared of any wrongdoing, it is the evidence adduced and recommendations made by the independent bodies, after the investigations are concluded, that clear the accused persons, not him.

He further said, “None of these agencies have ever indicated any pressure from the Executive over their investigations”. Mr President, maybe they have been unable as poodles but Mr. Martin Amidu the rotweiller has now indicated your pressure in his work, so what next?
Let us see what Martin Amidu had to say about you. He said, you instructed that he does nothing with the report on the Agyapa Royalties Transaction until he meets with you. Is that what you have been doing with all other reports on corruption cases that you have ended up clearing?
Mr. Martin Amidu said you interfered in the performance of his functions. He said he refused to bargain over the independence of office and to incorporate comments of the Minister of Finance into the report since it would have compromised his independence. You asked that he should shelve his report for you to handle it and he refused.
I thought you told the lawyers in Takoradi that you are not responsible for investigating corruption but you were giving directives as to how the anti-corruption assessment report of the Agyapa Royalties Limited Transaction by the Special Prosecutor should be handled by the principal suspects disclosed by the report.

Is that what you have been doing to all the so called anti-corruption independent bodies and their investigations? I wonder how CHRAJ allegedly understated the PPA boss’s balance in his bank statement. Did you influence it? Were you trying to compromise Martin Amidu but he refused?
The Special Prosecutor had earlier said his investigation on the sacked CEO of the Public Procurement Authority (PPA), Adjenim Boateng Adjei was taking too long because his seconded staff of investigators appeared compromised.

Initially, the Attorney-General did a very professional legal analysis against the Agyapa deal. How come she suddenly changed her mind? Who could have compromised them? Mr Martin Amidu complained about political interference in his function and his reason for resigning amongst others being his disagreement with you, Mr President, on the non-partisan independence of his office.

According to the Special Prosecutor, you, Mr President, was acting as a judge in your own court in usurping his functions when you knew that a negative anti-corruption assessment had been made against the conduct of your Office in the procedure adopted in granting the Executive Approval dated 24th March 2020, and your assent of the Minerals Income Investment (Amendment) Act, 2020 (Act 1024) on 27th August 2020 intended to retroactively impact the Parliamentary approval of the Transactions Documents granted on 14th August 2020. Can this be said to be a fraudulent act?

President Akufo-Addo, you said you will fight corruption but you seem to be fighting those who are fighting corruption. We have not forgotten Mr Domelevo, the Auditor General and now Mr Martin Amidu who have been able to stand up to your call that we should be citizens and not spectators. Mr Martin Amidu said he is convinced beyond every reasonable doubt that you appointed him to be your poodle. So how many poodles have you appointed to fight corruption in other sensitive positions as against the two “rottweilers” who defied you?

Nana Akufo-Addo, you said we should try you and we have. I voted for you because I saw hope from what you preached but the Special Prosecutor has shown your lack of credibility and that you cannot be trusted. I currently do not know who to vote for but certainly not you. You have been a disappointment and looks like you are incompetent in the fight against corruption.

Like the late President Jerry Rawlings said, even if the devil through procedure and practices was to become the President of Ghana, he should not be allowed to do what he wants but what the people want him to do. President Nana Akufo-Addo, you have learnt to do the wrong things legally. Indeed 4More to do What?