I don’t need credit for Waterville victory – Martin Amidu

Former Attorney General Martin Amidu says he is not fighting for credit over the recent ruling by Ghana’s Supreme Court, instructing foreign company, Waterville Holdings to pay back some 25 million Euros it received from the Government of Ghana as judgment debt.

“I do not want any credit for the Supreme Court’s decision. The Constitution of Ghana has won. The people of Ghana who are sovereign have won. I am not interested in any glories or who must take credit”, Mr. Amidu said in a statement issued on Wednesday June 19, 2013.

He said: “I am shy of praises that is why I have refused to talk to the press or be seen in public. Leave me alone!”

The statement was in response to Deputy Attorney General, Dr. Dominic Ayine’s claim that the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General’s Department gave Mr. Amidu ample support in his fight for the retrieval of the illegally paid judgment debt.

“Why are we fighting over who takes credit for a judgment in vindication of the Constitution? Who cares who did what?” Mr. Amidu queried in his statement.

He asserted that: “The important thing is that the judgment was given pursuant to an action by the plaintiff in the public interest”.

“Who is Martin Amidu if the people of Ghana did not fund his education? Who is Martin Amidu if the people of Ghana did not give him an opportunity to serve this nation and particularly as Deputy Attorney General for several years and also as Attorney General? I claim nothing from the people of Ghana but to use the knowledge they gave me to serve them”.

He said: “I have purposefully decided to stay out of the public eye because I do not want the judgment won by the people of Ghana to be about me”.

“The Government can take all the credit. I do not mind. My satisfaction is that the Court has ordered the refund of all monies paid to Waterville to the Republic”.

He wondered how the AG, which was a defendant in the case filed against Waterville, Austro Invest and Businessman Alfred Woyome, could claim the Department helped his cause.

“The AG was 1st Defendant and remained so till judgment. The office of the AG would not be helping or supporting the plaintiff if they admitted the plaintiff's claim because they did not have a defence to his claim”.

“I am sad that a Government supported by my own political party is spinning even a simple and glaring case”.