Group insists Foreign Minister should resign

Accra, March 3, GNA - The Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG), a pressure group that says it wants to ensure that government does things in accordance with the Constitution and in the interest of the society, on Tuesday insisted that Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni, Minister of Foreign Affairs, should resign over an audit report into the activities and operations of the National Vocational Training Institute. The group said Alhaji Mumuni had failed to adhere to the financial regulation law since he had not been able to account for money belonging to the state, when he was Minister for Employment and Social Welfare under the previous NDC government.

Alhaji Mumuni has stated repeatedly that he is innocent and that he would remain in office and fight the case in court.

At a press conference in Accra, Mr Kwabena Bomfeh, a leading member of the group, appealed to President John Evans Atta Mills to dismiss Alhaji Mumuni since his appointment was unconstitutional and would not serve the interest of the nation.

"AFAG would use the full length of the law or any other option available should (Alhaji) Mumuni refuse to resign and the President also fails to dismiss him," he said.

Mr Bomfeh said the High Court had upheld the validity and legality of the Auditor-General's report which accused him of misappropriation of funds and accordingly dismissed all relief sought by Alhaji Mumuni in a suit against the Daily Guide newspaper.

"As a result Alhaji Mumuni has a case to answer to the good people of Ghana as to how, why and on what the money of the people of Ghana was utilized. Until these questions are answered to the satisfaction of the people of Ghana, we believe that Alhaji Mumuni is unfit to remain in office."

Mr Bomfeh said Alhaji Mumuni's acts had gravely prejudiced the interests of the state and pointed out that those monies that would otherwise have been used to meet the needs of the needy and less privileged had been lost.

He noted that by virtue of the office that Alhaji Mumuni held now, he was the face of the country outside the shores and borders of Ghana and must be respected by his peers instead of having his person shrouded in corruption scandals.

"Having set a track record on non-compliance with our own local laws, the country's image is at great risk when placed in the hands of a minister of foreign affairs who has scant regard for rule of law." Commenting on Parliament's role in Alhaji Mumuni's appointment, Mr Bomfeh said the decision by the legislature not to call for the Auditor-General's report was a gross negligence of duty and Parliament had done the nation a gross disservice and owed the nation an unqualified apology.

Mr Bomfeh repeated that there was the need for President Mills to apply the rod on persons adjudged to have abused their office and violated the laws of the country or he breached his promise to fight corruption.