The decision by President, Akufo-Addo to retire Auditor-General, Daniel Domelevo has been criticised by the coalition of Civil Society Organisations.
The move by the President, according to the CSOs, its inimical to the fight against corruption menace in the country. In a statement, the Coalition said the President’s action sends wrong signals about his government’s fight against corruption.
“The Coalition is extremely disappointed about this development. Especially the manner in which the Presidency is handling the matter acting in concert with the Chairman of the Audit Service Board, Prof. Edward Dua Agyemang. The forced retirement of a constitutionally independent Auditor General who has excelled in his role since assuming office, recovering millions of cedis for the State, leveraging his surcharge and disallowances powers is not only constitutionally perverse. But it sends the wrong signals about the Nana Addo-led government’s commitment to fighting corruption and upholding the rule of law.
“Further, this action by the Office of the President practically eviscerates the independence of the Office of the Auditor-General and other independent constitutional bodies.”
Supreme Court’s Delayed Ruling
The Coalition also expressed disappointment in the Supreme Court over the delay in ruling on their suit over the legality. Or otherwise of the presidential directive which asked the Auditor-General to proceed on leave last year.
“The Coalition also notes with regret that the Supreme Court is yet to determine two (2) suits relating to the constitutionality of the Auditor-General’s forced ‘accumulated leave’ by the President which were filed by Professor Kwaku Asare and nine (9) CSOs in July and October 2020 respectively. In part, this unexplained delay in hearing these time-sensitive cases has rendered some of the issues raised before the court moot and has allowed a grave breach of the Constitution to fester, in our estimation”.
President’s Directive on Domelevo’s Retirement
President Akufo-Addo on March 4, 2021 said, documents available to him suggested that the Auditor-General, has reached his retirement age.
In a letter by the President to the Auditor General, he stated that, Mr. Domelevo had reached his retirement age and as a result was to vacate his position.
“The attention of the President has been drawn to records and documents made available his Office by the Audit Service. Which indicate that your date of birth is 1st June 1960. In accordance with article 199 (1) of the Constitution, your date of retirement as Auditor-General was 1st June 2020.
“Based on this information, the President is of the view that you have formally left office.”
Mr. Johnson Akuamo-Aseidu is going to act as the Auditor General until the President appoints a new person.
The development came about in the wake of the standoff between the Auditor-General and the Audit Service board. This comes about over his nationality and date of birth as he prepared to resume work after his compulsory leave. Domelevo
