General News of Wednesday, 27 November 2019

Source: peacefmonline.com

We are not witch-hunting Auditor-General – Government

Pius Enam Hadzide, Deputy Information Minister play videoPius Enam Hadzide, Deputy Information Minister

Government has categorically stated that it does not have plans or any intention to remove Auditor-General, Mr Daniel Domelevo from office.

Dismissing reports by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) of subtle moves by the Akufo-Addo led government to kick-out the A-G, Deputy Information Minister, Pius Enam Hadzide pointed out that they are fully cooperating with the Auditor-General to support his works.

Speaking on Okay FM’s 'Ade Akye Abia' program, Mr Hadzide explained that the opposition NDC has plans to pitch the Auditor-General against the government and as such want the public to believe that government is after him.

"It is very scandalous to suggest that the government is witch-hunting the Auditor-General," he said, adding that it is a silly suggestion that should not be encouraged.

He assured Ghanaians that the government has no intention to hound the Auditor-General out of office.

Meanwhile, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is demanding the arrest and prosecution of Yaw Osafo Maafo, the Senior Minister, over an alleged $1 million deal with UK firm, Kroll Associates.

At a press conference addressed by the General Secretary of the NDC, John Asiedu Nketiah, the party insists that the current controversy surrounding the Auditor-General, Daniel Domelevo, are attempts by the government "to have him removed” to prevent scrutiny of the deal.



The party feels the investigation of the Auditor-General is also "because of his uncompromising stance in the fight against corruption.”

The NDC stressed that “President Akufo-Addo must demonstrate that no one is above the laws of Ghana including Mr Yaw Osafo Maafo.”

“This EOCO investigation is designed as retribution against Mr Domelevo because he has been on the tail of Yaw Osafo Maafo over the latter’s involvement in the massive corruption scandal under which $1 million was paid to Kroll Associates, a UK company for no work done.”

“Rather than hounding Mr Domelevo, we are by this press conference calling on President Akufo-Addo to immediately order the arrest and prosecution of Mr Yaw Osafo Maafo for the breaches of the Public Procurement Act. We demand an immediate cessation of the hostile victimization of Mr Domelevo by the Akufo-Addo government."

The Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) is trying to investigate alleged procurement breaches in the Ghana Audit Service during the purchase of buses by the service in 2018.

But Mr Domelevo has argued that EOCO no longer had jurisdiction to investigate corruption-related offices following the establishment of the Office of the Special Prosecutor.