A Deputy Minister of Information, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has fired back at the Executive Director of the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), Vitus Azeem, describing a recent statement issued on the dismissal of former Attorney-General, Martin Amidu by the head of the GII as prejudicial, premature and most unfortunate.
The Executive Director of the GII, the local chapter of Transparency International, a non-partisan, non-profit civil empowerment organization focused on fighting corruption issued a statement on Wednesday demanding answers to six questions from President Mills.
In the said statement, the GII Executive Director posited that, “the President’s removal of the former Attorney-General, Mr. Martin Amidu, and the resignation of his predecessor, Mrs. Betty Mould Iddrisu, leaves a lot of nagging questions in the minds of Ghanaians.
“The President has a duty to come out with what he knows about these developments and the “Woyome” case that led to all these developments.”
1. Was Mr. Amidu’s misconduct his refusal to withdraw his allegations which he believes strongly in? OR
2. Was his misconduct his determination to pursue the “Woyome” case?
3. Was he removed in an attempt to kill the “Woyome” case?
4. Was Mrs. Iddrisu’s resignation ordered by the President?
5. Does this point to anything about her role in the “Woyome” case?
6. What is the truth surrounding the “Woyome” case? were the six questions posed by the GII.
Speaking in an interview on Citi FM, Mr. Vitus Azeem said he would have preferred that the former A-G was not axed, but once he had been pushed out when the facts are still with him, he should be encouraged to provide whatever information he has to support his allegations, adding that this will help clear the minds of many Ghanaians who have been left in the dark.
But the Deputy Information Minister, in response to Mr Azeem’s six questions and remarks, shot back saying the GII is proceeding quite hastily and in a premature manner, since a report has not been presented (to the President) and one is not fully apprise of the full facts of the matter.
“…their (GII) statement is hasty and prejudicial because Mr. Martin Amidu made an allegation in his statement and he was given the opportunity to bring out the facts but he didn’t and instead created the impression (after his dismissal) that is the President who was not interested in the fight against corruption…,” he said.
According to Okudzeto Ablakwa, the GII and other like-minded individuals instead of this call, should have added their voice to that of President Mills’ demand for the former AG to substantiate the ‘gargantuan’ claims of corruption he made.
“I am sure we all want to be serious in this country…” he added.
