Stop comparing Domelevo to Akuamoah – Akufo-Addo told
President Akufo-Addo has been advised to stop comparing the acting Auditor-General (A-G) Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu, to his predecessor Daniel Domelevo following recent comments about the two individuals.
Anti-corruption campaigner, Vitus Adaboo Azeem, and the Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Sulemana Braimah, have noted that such comparisons by the president were “unnecessary.”
Speaking on separate radio programmes monitored by The Ghana Report on Thursday, August 19, the two explained that recent reports released by Mr Asiedu were from the foundation work done by Mr Domelevo.
The former executive director of the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), explained that the utterance of the president was only a confirmation of Mr Asiedu as the substantive Auditor-General.
“Mr Domelevo was not removed from office for poor performance in the first place and so comparing the two of them, I don’t think it was necessary. Mr Domelevo was removed because of his age and since then, the president has appointed people to public offices who are older than 65 years, but he doesn’t see anything wrong with that,” Mr Azeem criticised.
“He is only laying the grounds to confirm the Acting Auditor-General as the substantive Auditor-General, which is what he does very often, praising his appointees”.
On his part, Mr Braimah said, “I don’t think the comparison is necessary”.
He added that the acting Auditor-General, who took office a few months ago, was building on the foundation of his predecessor.
“We all know that Domelevo was hounded out, and we are clear about some reasons why the government felt uncomfortable with him. I wonder why the president will use just the last few months after Domelevo was driven out to then draw a conclusion that the current Auditor-General is doing quite well.”
The reactions come after President Akufo-Addo credited Mr Akuamoah Asiedu for achieving feats that he said were not attained by the former Auditor-General, Daniel Domelevo.
Background
During a meeting with the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) on Wednesday, August 18, President Akufo-Addo heaped praises on Mr Asiedu for his work in the fight against corruption since his appointment.
The basis for this praise was because of the recent Auditor-General’s report, which, among other things, disclosed that irregularities resulted in a sum of GH₵12,856,172,626.
The abnormalities including cash payroll, procurement, tax irregularities, stores irregularities and contract irregularities were committed by various Departments and Agencies (MDAs) as well as Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).
President Akufo-Addo said that the Ag. A-G demonstrated quality and independence, an indication of his professionalism and readiness to fight corruption.
“For instance, he is responsible for some things that are unheard of in our history. The 12 statutory reports that have to be compiled and placed before parliament; this is the first time it has ever been done.”
“Even the most touted Auditor-General before him never managed to do it, and this one has done it. I think on the basis of the work that he has done, the independence with which he has gone around with his work, if today efforts are made to confirm him, I believe it should be done, and that confirmation process will gather more public confidence”.
Mr Asiedu in his short stay in office “has been able to do things that the most touted Yao Domelevo couldn’t do”, he concluded.
READ ALSO: GACC To Akufo-Addo: Act On Findings In AG’s Report
At the meeting, GACC urged President Akufo-Addo to act on key findings and take pragmatic steps to implement recommendations in the 2020 Auditor-General’s report.
This is to save the country huge sums of money lost and to curtail the number of irregularities committed by MDAs and MMDAs.