General News of Tuesday, 17 November 2020

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Amidu’s resignation: You’re out when you touch Akufo-Addo’s anointed – Manasseh Azure

Manasseh Azure Awuni, Investigative Journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, Investigative Journalist

Ace investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has suggested that Martin Amidu was forced to resign because he conducted an investigation that implicated some persons close to the president.

Manasseh reckons Amidu’s corruption assessment of the Agyapa Royalties deal stepped on the toes of some powerful people and those people were, in turn, fighting him.

“Domelevo touches Osafo Maafo, and he's out. Amidu touches Agyapa, and he's out. Touch not his anointed!”, Manasseh posted on social media.

He, however, believes that the resignation of Martin Amidu as Special Prosecutor was long overdue.

He said on Citi TV Amidu should have walked out long ago due to the interference in his work.

Manasseh opined that Amidu was injuring his reputation with his continued stay in an office that was being prevented to function effectively.

“I believe he had stayed too long in that position and not too long ago, I asked him why he was still at post. I felt that he has built a reputation for himself. For him to have sat down for all that he had built to go down the drain, I thought that it was too much. I was surprised that he stayed this long,” Mr. Awuni said.

Martin Amidu resigned on Monday, November 17, 2020, citing the death of former President Jerry John Rawlings and interference in his works.

“I again asserted that I was not going to bargain over the independence of my functions as the Special Prosecutor. I refused to take the copy of the alleged comments from the Minister of Finance you offered me as that would have compromised my independence as the Special Prosecutor”.

“I also refused to shelve my report to enable you to handle the matter which explains my press release to the public on this morning of 24 November 2020 and the follow-up with the distribution of the full sixty-four (64) page Agyapa Royalties Transactions anti-corruption assessment report to the public, unbeknown to you that I had published the fall sixty-four (64) page report to the public you caused a press statement to be made based on my letter dated 16 October 2020 to you under reference which sought to politicize and down play the seriousness of the professional analysis of the risk of corruption and anti-corruption assessment reported by my Office,” Amidu said in the letter.