Freelance investigative journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni says Daniel Yao Domelevo was forced to retire from the Office of Auditor-General because the government is not committed to the business of fighting corruption.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile, Mr. Azure Awuni iterated his objection to the government’s decision to retire the corruption fighter who has been lauded by both local and international institutions.
He told host, Samson Lardy Anyenini that, “Daniel Yao Domelevo was targeted by a President and a Presidency that is not committed to the fight against corruption.”
His comments follow a 21-paged letter from the Office of the President dismissing claims by the Coalition of Civil Society Organizations against Corruption that the incumbent government has given up in its fight against the menace.
The press statement further indicated that former President John Mahama only appointed Mr. Domelevo because he lost the 2016 Presidential elections to now-President Akufo-Addo.
“H.E. the President has nominated Mr. Daniel Domelevo to replace Dr. Felix Kwame Aveh as Auditor-General and would appreciate the opinion of the Council of State thereon.
“The change is as a result of some unforeseen developments….The inconvenience caused by the change is very regretted,” part of an alleged letter Mr. Mahama had sent to the Council of State to fast-track Mr. Domelevo’s “appointment as Auditor-General” read.
However, reacting to the government’s response, the anti-corruption crusader noted that it was only fair for the former statesman to appoint a person he found loyal for the position of Auditor-General.
“If you are talking about loyalty, then the government side needs to think deeply. The question is if Mahama wanted someone loyal to the NDC, then when he had the hope of winning and then staying on to be the President, is only normal, natural that he would have preferred someone whose loyalty he could vouch for to be the Auditor-General so that he wouldn’t disturb him,” he said.
Although President Akufo-Addo through the letter disclosed that Mr Domelevo was never targeted by his administration, Mr Azure Awuni says their response echoes previous assertions that the incumbent adminsitration had ulterior motives to retire Mr. Domelevo.
He explained that “those parts don’t change anything and if you read clearly you will realize clearly that they had something against the man beyond the date of birth or even the leave because they are now giving a number of reasons.”
The investigative journalist is also of the view that the letter seeks to dissuade Ghanaians who are not privy to earlier pieces of information on the matter.
Mr. Azure Awuni also questioned the government as to why the supposed relevant material they were presenting was not laid before the former Auditor-General but rather EOCO, COCOBOD, the former Senior Minister, and others.
He submitted that the aforementioned institutions are not Security institutions and should not have been privy to such “confidential” information.
“They claim that in the President’s letter this information they were trying to keep from the Auditor-General had been given to EOCO, the report had been submitted to COCOBOD, it had been given to the Senior Minister and others. Such information is so confidential that it cannot be given to the Auditor-General for the purpose of audit.
“Then how is it possible that all these institutions would get that information? Osafo Marfo’s office is not a security institution,” he stated.
