General News of Friday, 6 January 2012

Source: peacefmonline

Pro-NDC Media Launch Blistering Attack On Attorney-General

The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Martin Amidu seems to have incurred the wrath of some his own party members following what they perceive to be his dithering and fumbling on serious government legal issues.

What perhaps has exacerbated the situation is the report that the A-G issued a memo instructing some people to seek for information elsewhere rather than his office.

The aggrieved NDC activists have therefore warned him to sit up and become more pragmatic in order not to paint a picture of a government trying to perpetuate a legacy of class society.

Publications by pro-NDC newspapers, “The Informer” and “The Crystal Clear Lens” have indicted the Attorney General & Justice Minister describing him as a big disappointment and an albatross hanging around the neck of the NDC.

The publications state inter alia that “many were those convinced that Martin Amidu, because of his long working years at the AG's office and a practicing lawyer would be a much better AG than Betty Mould Iddrisu, who was not known to be a courtroom lawyer, but he has become the biggest disappointment in the Mills Administration”.

Speaking to the issue on Metro TV’s “Good Morning Ghana” show, a member of the Communications Team of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), Felix Kwakye-Ofosu said it is important that the A-G is forthwith with a response regarding allegations of non-performance leveled against him and to also shed more light on some of the achievements of his ministry

“…citizens of Ghana have the right to demand from public officials some level of performance hence calls on Mr. Amidu to come clear on his performance is not contestable,” he said.

According to him, “the appointment of Mr. Amidu was received with open arms given his track record, prior experience in the A-G’s office as a deputy and his long years as a lawyer, people thought he was going to bring impetus to bear on the work of the A-G’s department against the background of many unfortunate loses that the government had suffered under the previous minister”.

He added that it will be in the interest of the A-G to respond immediately on the allegations of non-performance levelled against him. He noted that one of Mr. Amidu’s greatest problems is his inability to engage more regularly with the people of Ghana through the media, adding that the media will offer him the opportunity to shed light on these matters so that people will be convinced that indeed he is working.

He however stressed that “it will be too premature for people to start clamoring for Mr. Amidu’s removal without giving him the opportunity to explain why there has not been any action from him”.