I don’t accept awards – Martin Amidu

The Special Prosecutor nominee Martin A.B.K Amidu has revealed that he’s taken a personal decision not to accept awards for the distinguished services he’s rendered to the country over the years especially in his fight against corruption.

Addressing Parliament’s Appointment’s Committee on Tuesday during his vetting, the former Attorney General said he derives his satisfaction in people emulating his good works rather than being awarded.

The Member of Parliament for Wa West, Hon. Yieleh Chireh had asked him what he had no awards indicated on his CV after so many years of selfless and committed services to the country.

“Honourable member you know that since March 1983, when you became my colleague ours was to dedicate ourselves to the service of this nation without making any efforts for recognition. Because we joined the system not for awards but for what we can do for the people, you and I have lived that life, that’s why there’s no award I never lobbied for it. After my case at the Supreme Court people called me and offered me awards, they’ve written to me and I’ve told them it’s not about Martin Amidu but it’s about Ghana. Emulate what I’m doing, don’t give me an award, the last was the AMY award which they were giving me for anti-corruption. I wrote and told them it’s not about Martin Amidu, it’s about emulating what I’m doing so that Ghana will be better, I don’t want it to be personalized to me so I don’t take awards, generally I refuse them because I want them to be centered on the national need of developing this country,” Martin Amidu said.

About Martin Amidu

Martin A. B. K. Amidu was the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice from January 2011 till January 2012 under the late President John Evans Atta-Mills.

Amidu, a member of the NDC, served as the Deputy Attorney-General for about the last four years of the Provisional National Defence Council military government.

After civilian rule was established in the Fourth Republic in January 1993, he continued to serve in the government of Jerry Rawlings as Deputy Attorney-General. This he did for both terms lasting eight years until January 2001.

In the December 2000 presidential elections, he stood as the running mate of John Atta Mills. They both, however, lost to President John Kufuor that year.