A-G sued over Domelevo’s leave directive

A US-based Ghanaian law lecturer, Professor Stephen Kwaku Asare, has sued the Attorney General over the President’s directive for the Auditor General to proceed on leave.

Starrfm has reported that the US-based Ghanaian lawyer argued that President Akufo-Addo’s directive is unconstitutional and must be reversed.

The suit comes after the president’s directive on July 4, asking the Auditor General Daniel Domelevo to proceed on his accumulated leave.

Mr Domelevo was also expected to hand over to his deputy, who will act in his absence.

But Professor Asare, in a suit, is praying the court for a declaration that the president’s appointment of the deputy to act in his absence is inconsistent with or is in contravention of the letter and spirit of Article 187.

Below are the other reliefs he is seeking

Prof Kwaku Asare wants the Supreme Court to declare that except for stated grounds in Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution, the Auditor-General’s tenure cannot be disturbed by Presidential directives, whether couched as accumulated leave, involuntary leave, suspension, interdiction, temporary removal, disciplinary control, or however styled, and he may remain in office until he attains the compulsory retirement age of 60.

He also wants the court to declare that the president’s directive to the Auditor-General to hand over all matters relating to his office to Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu is inconsistent with or is in contravention with the letter and spirit of Articles 187(1) and 187(7)(a) of the Constitution, 1992.

A declaration that the President’s appointment of Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu to act as the Auditor-General is inconsistent with or is in contravention of the letter and spirit of Articles 187(1), 187(7)(a).

An order directing the President, his agents, assigns, privies, servants and whomsoever of whatever description to cease and desist from issuing directives to the Auditor-General.

An order directing the President, his agents, assigns, privies, servants and whomsoever of whatever description to cease and desist from exercising disciplinary control over the Auditor-General.

An order directing the President, his agents, assigns, privies, servants and whomsoever of whatever description to cease and desist from assessing the work, including the financial administration, of the Auditor-General.

An order directing the Auditor-General to resume performing his constitutional functions.

An order directing Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu to cease and desist from performing the role of an Acting Auditor-General.

An order invalidating any decisions taken by Mr Akuamoah Asiedu subject to ratification by the Auditor-General.

An order of interlocutory injunction to restrain Mr. Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu from performing the functions of Acting Auditor-General, pending the final determination of the substantive suit.

An expedited hearing of the motion for injunction and the substantive cause given the important financial watchdog role played by the Auditor-General and the irreparable harm that any delay will cause to the financial systems and the integrity of the Constitution.