General News of Saturday, 17 February 2018

Source: starrfmonline.com

Amidu’s vetting: Suhuyini’s dissent won’t affect recommendation – Osei Owusu

Martin Amidu, Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu, Special Prosecutor

The Appointments Committee of Parliament has said the decision by a member of the Committee to dissent in the approval of Martin Amidu as Special Prosecutor will in no way affect its final recommendation to the house.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member for Parliament for Tamale North Alhassan Suhuyini was the only member of the committee who voted against Martin Amidu arguing he lacks the required temperament for the office.

Despite the Tamale North legislator’s dissent, the Chairman of the Committee and first deputy Speaker of Parliament Joseph Osei Owusu assured Mr. Amidu will pass the plenary.

“Our recommendations will be that he should be accepted by consensus,” he told Starr News’ Parliamentary Correspondent Ibrahim Alhassan in an exclusive interview.

Mr. Amidu was unanimously approved by the Appointments Committee of Parliament after almost nine hours of questioning.

He is expected to be approved by the plenary of the House next week and then subsequently sworn in by the President for the important position of Special Prosecutor.

Touching on the disclosure by Mr. Amidu that his scathing accusations of the erstwhile NDC administration as a looter government were based on perception Mr. Osei Owusu said: “That unfortunately is our bane.”

“I’m surprised that everybody is criticizing Martin. As long as he made it clear that he was authoring an opinion, I don’t mind. Too many people don’t even bother to say it is an opinion. They present their opinion as if it’s the fact. They present rumours as if they are facts. They present other people’s views as if it’s the gospel truth,” he added.