Domelevo thanks God after forced retirement

Daniel Yao Domelevo, the former Auditor-General held a Thanksgiving service last Wednesday, 10 March at the Christ The King Catholic Church in Accra, to thank God for seeing him through his tenure as the Auditor-General of Ghana.

He was accompanied by a few members of his family and friends.

Domelevo used the occasion to thank the people who supported him while in office no matter the challenges that he faced.

Domelevo was also grateful to President Akufo-Addo for the opportunity to serve under his administration and his support.

Bishop Gabriel Kumordzie, Catholic Bishop of Keta-Akatsi Diocese, in his homily said: “You have set a tradition, you have set a certain pace and that is one of the things we are thanking God for. We are here to appreciate you (Domelevo) that even for a short while, you have really made a mark. You have demonstrated to the world that indeed Ghana is not over, that there are good people in Ghana.”

Bishop Kumordzie indicated that there was hope in Ghana’s fight against corruption when Domelevo the anti-corruption crusader was asked to take charge of the Auditor-General’s department.

On March 2, a day before Domelevo was scheduled to return from the forced leave President Akufo-Addo imposed on him, the Audit Service Board questioned his nationality and age in a controversial letter.

The Board claimed Daniel Yao Domelevo should have retired in 2020 and is Togolese.

The Audit Service Board based its claims on amended records at the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) provided by the Auditor General, with the Board obstinately insisting they would stick to the original documents when Domelevo first registered with SSNIT.

The Board claimed Domelevo’s date of birth was June 1, 1960, and not June 1, 1961.

Domelevo, however, refuted these claims in a back-and-forth correspondence with the Board.

President Akufo-Addo endorsed the retirement claims of the Audit Service Board and said he considered Domelevo retired.

“The President is of the view that you [Domelevo] have formally left office,” the letter from the presidency said in response to the date of birth concerns.

The presidency thanked him for his service and indicated that a substantive replacement for him will soon be announced.