Amidu’s resignation daring, indicts Akufo-Addo’s Presidency – Franklin Cudjoe

Founding President of think tank, IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, has said the resignation of Martin Amidu as Special Prosecutor is bad for Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s government.

Mr Cudjoe told Citi News on Monday that Mr Amidu’s sudden resignation, while not surprising, affects the fight against corruption.

“I am not entirely surprised. I put up a post, suggesting that Martin Amidu should appoint or hire his own investigators because that is what most successful Special Prosecutors do or have done because it is almost expected that corruption, as the Vice-President said, is a monster and it will punch you back and if you are the Special Prosecutor and you don’t have the backing to appoint or elect your own investigators then you are halfway out of the circle.”

“The letter the Special Prosecutor has written now suggests that he never had presidential backing, hence it is rather daring and indicting on the office of the President. I am still not entirely surprised although he [Amidu] is not predictable. He is quite predictable when it comes to the things he says he likes or doesn’t like just that it is coming at a time we are going into elections and some people will say that, it is a middle finger to the whole fight against corruption,” Mr Cudjoe told Citi News.

Mr Amidu resigned as Special Prosecutor on Monday, November 16, 2020, citing a raft of reasons for his decision.

Mr Amidu explained that he is resigning because he does not feel that President Akufo-Addo has done enough to safeguard the independence of his office.

"The events of 12/11/20 removed the only protection I had from the threats & plans directed at me for undertaking the Agyapa Royalties Limited Transactions anti-corruption assessment report & dictates that I resign as the Special Prosecutor immediately," he said in a letter addressed to the President.

In the letter, Mr Amidu charged the President to find a suitable replacement for him.

“The one condition upon which I accepted to be nominated as the Special Prosecutor when you invited me to your Office on 10th January 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 among other things.