Anti Corruption Crusader Vitus Azeem has described as ridiculous the decision of President Akufo-Addo to extend the stay of the Auditor General, Mr. Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu in office by two years.
A letter dated 19th June, 2024 and addressed to staff of the Audit Service captures that though Mr. Asiedu was due for statutory retirement from service on 1st August, 2024, the president has handed him a two-year contract extension.
But the extension of his appointment has been viewed by many as a reward for doing the bidding of the government and not doing much to protect the public purse as against his predecessor, Daniel Domelovo who was forced out of office at a time he was pursuing high profile cases involving politically exposed persons including Yaw Osafo Marfo.
It also comes at a time the World Bank has downgraded Ghana’s Audit Service performance from a “C” to a “D” grade, owing to deficiencies in its independence compared to international standards.
Speaking Thursday on the State of Our Nation, Mr. Azeem noted that it is ridiculous that the same President that forced Domelovo out before he turned 60 has extended the appointment of the current auditor by 2 years when he is due for retirement.
“If it was wrong at that time to be there at 60, why is it right for this man to be there at 60? So it looks ridiculous. The president has forgotten so soon that did something to somebody?” He questioned.
He suspects the Auditor General has probably acted in the favour of the government.
“How could he have been dissatisfied with Domelevo’s performance? Is he a listening president? Maybe, he is satisfied with this man’s performance in terms of how he has done things in the favor of the government or president. But those bases are not acceptable”
Mr. Azeem equally added his voice to the growing opposition against the planned sale of shares of SSNIT-owned hotels to a business venture belonging to the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong.
“How efficient is Rock City that you take 4 hotels and hand over to the particular company. If the hotels are making losses, why would any reasonable person try to acquire them. What would be the motivation? Are the prices unreasonably low or it is not true that those hotels are really not making profit. So I’m against it,” he stated.
