Regional News of Friday, 19 March 2021

Source: Edward Acquah, Contributor

You are not a true son of Ghana if you vilify Domelevo - Adib Saani

Foreign Policy and Security Analyst, Adib Saani Foreign Policy and Security Analyst, Adib Saani

Foreign Policy and Security Analyst, Adib Saani has extoled the immediate-past Auditor-General, Mr Daniel Yao Domelevo for his strong stance against corruption regardless the impediments that was put on his way by some political actors.

Speaking on TV3’s New Day, Mr Saani stressed that anyone who vilified Mr Domelevo due his stance on corruption was not “a true son of the land” and a catalyst of corruption.

“I don’t care what people say about Domelevo. It is all part of democracy. But if you vilify him for his stance against corruption, take an introspective look at yourself; you are part of the problem. If you vilify Domelevo, you are not a true son or daughter of the land.”

“It is so unfair. Some of us saw it coming but we never thought it would toe the line of even questioning his nationality. Sometimes we just find convenient excuses and some of them like the case of Domelevo is infantile,” he said.

Mr Saani was reacting to Mr Domelevo’s refusal to honour a request by the Audit Service Board for him to prepare a comprehensive handing over notes of the Service.

Mr Domelevo in a letter addressed to the Board described the request as preposterous.

He argued that he handed over to the Acting Auditor-General, Mr Akuamoah Asiedu before proceeding on his forced leave at short notice last year, upon his return this year after over eight months, he was served with orders to proceed on retirement even before Akuamoah Asiedu could hand over back to him.

Mr Saani supported Mr Domelevo’s position, explaining that the Ag. Auditor-General should have accordingly handed over to him when he resumed work.

In his view, the Ag. Auditor-General’s excuse that the handing over notes he was supposed to present to Mr Domelevo was not ready amplified the suspicion that there was a grand plan to get the latter out of his position once he resumed work.

“When Domelevo was going (his forced leave), he handed over to him and when he returned, he didn’t hand over back to him. So tentatively, he didn’t take over as Auditor-General when he resumed work. So I believe that they (the Board) should rather direct their letter to the Ag Auditor-General,” he said.

Mr Saani further indicated that the issues surrounding the removal of Mr Domelevo presented an opportunity for Mr Akuamoah Asiedu to prove his critics and the sceptics wrong about his ability to deliver on his mandate professionally.

“So far, the issue with Kroll and Associates has put doubts in the minds of people, but it is not late yet. He still has a golden opportunity to get things right,” he said.