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President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has pooh-poohed the myriad of allegations levelled against him and his government by the Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu, who recently resigned from his position.

In a 40 point-9page response, on Tuesday, November 17, 2020, the president addressed some critical claims Martin Amidu made such as interference in the work of Martin Amidu, the Agyapa mineral royalties deal and the claims that the government of Ghana has failed to provide the needed resources and funds for the Office of the Special Prosecutor.

"I refer to your letter dated 16 November, 2020 pursuant to which you resigned your position as the first Special Prosecutor appointed in accordance with Section 13(3) of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959) (hereinafter, the “Letter”).

"The President has taken note of your resignation per the President’s Chief of Staff’s letter to you of even date herewith (SCR/DA/96/135/01/A).

"We note, however, that, even before the President had been given the opportunity to react to the contents of your four (4) page Letter, it had been put into the public domain prior to receipt by the President. I am directed by the President to respond to correct the errors of fact contained in your Letter in order to provide a complete public record of the issues," parts of the letter signed by Nana Bediatuo Asante, Secretary to the President reads.

Background

Mr. Amidu resigned from his position as the Special Prosecutor on Monday, November 16, 2020, claiming that government officials and the presidency were interfering with the independence of his office.

In a resignation letter to the President, the Special Prosecutor cited the intense traumatic experience he endured after the release of a corruption risk assessment conducted on the controversial Agyapa Royalties deal as one of the reasons for his resignation.

"I should not ordinarily be announcing my resignation to the public myself but the traumatic experience I went through from 20th October 2020 to 2nd November 2020 when I conveyed in a thirteen (13) page letter the conclusions and observations on the analysis of the risk of corruption and anti-corruption assessment on the Report On Agyapa Royalties Limited Transactions and Other Matters Related Thereto to the President as Chairman of the National Security Council cautions against not bringing my resignation as the Special Prosecutor with immediate to the notice of the Ghanaian public and the world.....

....The events of 12th November 2020 removed the only protection I had from the threats and plans directed at me for undertaking the Agyapa Royalties Limited Transactions anti-corruption assessment report and dictates that I resign as the Special Prosecutor immediately. Fear is the enemy of change and I am prepared from the vacuum created on 12th November 2020 to meet the threats of my demise as the price to pay for serving my country without fear or favour affection or ill will. I acted professionally through out in the discharge of my duties and my conscience is the anchor of my strength to face any consequences," portions of the letter read.

Public Reaction

Amidu’s decision has received mixed reactions from the public with some accusing the president of having double standards on the fight against corruption.

Others including Prof Kwaku Asare, have said the Special Prosecutor should have persisted and worked harder to prosecute corrupt officials.

Repudiation

In response to Mr Amidu's claims especially on his decision not to prosecute flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), former President John Dramani Mahama, Secretary to the President, Nana Bediatuo Asante was categorical that the President did not interefere in his (Martin Amidu's) work by attempting to compel him to do otherwise.

According to the Presidency, after Martin Amidu identified the former President as Government Official One in the infamous Airbus scandal, an untenable ground was given by the then Special Prosecutor as to why the former President could not be prosecuted.

Among other things, Mr. Amidu had explained that John Mahama was the flagbearer of the largest opposition party in the country in the 2020 elections hence his decision to hold off interrogating the former head of state.

Citing this as clear evidence that President Akufo-Addo never interfered with the work carried out by the Office of the Special Prosecutor as is being alleged by the renowned ‘Citizen Vigilante’, President Akufo-Addo said Mr. Amidu was allowed to stand his ground despite his reason having no legal basis.

“Indeed, even when you erroneously and without moral or legal basis decided to confer immunity from investigation and prosecution on the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, in connection with the infamous five million Euro Airbus bribery affair, by refusing to investigate him on the clearly untenable grounds of his being a candidate for President, neither the President nor any member of the Executive challenged that strange exercise of your discretion.

“Surely this was in furtherance of the protection of the independence of your office,” part of the statement said.

The President therefore expressed surprised that Mr. Amidu will cry foul when he is asked to give the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, and other government officials a fair hearing in the case regarding the Agyapa Royalties deal.

“It is stranger still that you would now suggest that the President, who some may argue, would have benefitted politically from the prosecution of John Mahama, has interfered with your independence by suggesting that you apply the rules of natural justice to officials concerned with the Agyapa assessment.”

The statement from the Presidency further said the President acted in connection with the recommendations made in the report which included the decision taken for the deal to be sent back to Parliament for review and therefore cannot be accused of trying to strong-arm the Office of the Special Prosecutor.

“The President welcomed the report and acted on it solely within his mandate, which was the proper thing to do.

“It is difficult, therefore, to further comment on that particular claim since nothing the President or any official did could be remotely construed as interfering with your mandate as Special Prosecutor.”


Read below the President's full reply to Martin Amidu: