Amidu’s resignation is a betrayal of trust – Abdallah Banda

The Member of Parliament for Offinso South Constituency Ben Abdallah Banda, has expressed disappointment at Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu’s decision to resign from office.

Barely an hour after news of the Special Prosecutor’s resignation hit the airwaves, the Offinso South constituency legislator described the decision as a betrayal of trust.

“President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo believed in him and that is why he was appointed but for him to resign, I see that as a betrayal of trust.

“True, nobody can force him to do a job that he no longer has  interest in. It is for him to determine whether the reason he is assigning is a legitimate one,” he said disappointedly.

Martin Amidu’s appointment was greeted with mixed reactions from the general public. While a section of the public believed it was long overdue because he failed to meet expectation, others held the view that the government deliberately set him to fail as he had been complaining of not getting the needed support.

But Mr Banda, who is also the Chairperson of Ghana’s Judicial and Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs committee, said the special prosecutor has proved his critics right.

“I thought Martin Amidu was going to prove to the school of thought that said he could not perform his function to the best of his abilities, but he has vindicated his critics,” Mr Banda said in Citi interview monitored by theghanareport.com.

The former Special prosecutor had alleged that the President interfered in his work after he submitted his report on Agyapa deal anti-corruption assessment.

Although Mr Amidu had named the President as interfering in his work, Mr Banda advised him to come out clearly and state how the president was interfering and had become a stumbling block to his corruption fight.

Reasons for resignation

In a letter addressed to President Nana Akufo-Addo, Martin Amidu said his decision to the President was to” take steps to appoint a replacement to that position as required by law.”

He claimed the President Akufo-Addo has not been able to ensure his independence and freedom of action.

“The one condition upon which I accepted to be nominated as the Special Prosecutor when you invited me to your office on January 10, 2018 was your firm promise to me that you will respect and ensure same by your government for my independence and freedom of action as the Special Prosecutor,” he stated.

Mr Amidu also mentioned that although his appointment was announced in 2018, he only received his appointment letter on February 5, 2020.

He added that there has not been any effort to give him the emoluments and benefits due him per his appointment letter.

Martin Amidu said while he was not too bothered about the fact that he had not been given any emoluments, the “Deputy Special Prosecutor has also not been paid any emoluments since her appointment, and there is the need to redress that situation for her now that I am out of the way.”