MILLS FIRES MARTIM AMIDU……..and leaves anti-corruption mantle in tatters
When the Attorney -General and Minister of Justice, Martin Amidu, openly castigated some colleague ministers of the Mills-led government for their complicity in what he termed as 'gargantuan crimes' against the people of Ghana, there were people who applauded his guts, but not without a pinching thought that he might as well have set foot in a mine field.
Yesterday, the fears of this group of people were confirmed, when the President, John Evans Atta Mills, issued the marching orders for the dismissal of Mr. Amidu as Attorney General.
A statement to this effect, which was signed and issued by the Chief of Staff, John Martey Newman, said: 'His Excellency President John Evans Atta Mills has, with immediate effect, relieved Mr. Martin Amidu of his post as Attorney-General and Minister of Justice.
'The decision is as a result of Mr. Amidu's misconduct at a meeting last Friday, January 13 th , 2012, presided over by His Excellency.'
A reason assigned to his dismissal, according to the statement said: 'Mr. Amidu's behaviour is incompatible with acceptable standards expected of ministers and appointees of the President.'
Mr. Amidu had earlier concluded that his integrity and professionalism as a lawyer had been a threat to the concealment of 'gargantuan crimes' against the people of Ghana, in which they might be implicated, hence the various attacks on his personality, and the call for the President to sack him from government.
Mr. Amidu had also openly challenged his critics and elements within the government, who are bent on covering up naked fraud and corruption in the Mills-led administration. 'Fairness requires that NDC criminals be prosecuted by me as well, as an independent and impartial Attorney-General, albeit appointed by the NDC Government.'
The guts and fearless expressions of the Minister landed before the First Gentleman of the state, who demanded that Mr. Amidu provide a list of the 'criminals' in his government, or be sacked.
This approach by the President has, however, received varied criticisms from sections of the public, who argue that the President Mill's directive was a slap in the face of efforts in the fight against corruption.
Proponents of this line of argument, and equally shared by the Executive Secretary of the Ghana Integrity Initiative, local Chapter of Transparency International, Mr. Vitus Azeem, say President Mills could have demonstrated his commitment to fighting corruption by investigating Mr. Martin Amidu's claims, instead of asking him to prove them or be sacked.
His dismissal is, however, indicative that Mr. Amidu was not able to furnish the President with the names he requested, or if he did, the President did not see then as tenable.
A few hours after the dismissal of Mr. Amidu the Progressive Nationalist Forum (PNF) issued a statement expressing its resentment at the President's action.
'We are appalled by the lack of sense of judgment on the part of the President, and his decision to dismiss Hon. Martin Amidu, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice,' the group stated.
According to the group, 'the President's dismissal of Mr. Amidu was to save his own skin, as the successful prosecution of the matter would have implicated the President in the scheme to deprive this country of such gargantuan sums of money.'
They said information available to them indicates that President Mills chaired a Cabinet meeting with 20 people in attendance in 2010, at which he authorised the payment of the money to Woyome.
'Mr. Martin Amidu's insistence to prosecute the Woyome saga, and to retrieve the money to the state is borne out of his sense of duty, his integrity, and the fact that his conscience will not allow him to conceal such crimes, and an amount which could have successfully implemented SADA for the three Northern regions, the most impoverished parts of this country, and an area he hails from.'