Special Prosecutor: Amidu’s age not an issue – Osei-Owusu

The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joe Osei Owusu has stated that the age of former Attorney General Martin Amidu cannot disqualify him from becoming the Special Prosecutor.

Mr. Amidu’s age has become an issue after a former Deputy Attorney-General under the NDC administration, Dr. Dominic Ayine, filed a suit to challenge the nomination of Martin Amidu for the position of Special Prosecutor.

Dr. Ayine, who is the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP for Bolgatanga East, is praying the Supreme Court to halt the nomination because 66-year-old Mr. Amidu is gone past the retirement age for public office holders.

Dr. Ayine is seeking seven reliefs which includes;

a) A declaration that by a true and proper interpretation of Articles 190(1)(d), 199(1), 199(4), and 295 of the 1992 Constitution, the retirement age of all holders of public offices created pursuant to Article 190 (1)(d) is sixty (60) years, anyhow not beyond sixty-five (65) years;

b) A declaration that by a true and proper interpretation of Articles 190(1)(d), 199(1), 199(4) of the 1992 Constitution, no person above the age of 65 years is eligible for employment in any public office created under Article 190(1)(d).

But the Mr. Osei Owusu, who is also the Chairman of the appointments committee of Parliament in an interview with Starr News’ Ibrahim Alhassan stated that Mr. Amidu has been appointed for a specific contract and age does not matter in that regard.

“This one is a specific contract and you are recruited for a specific term and it doesn’t matter your age. The president knew and considered his age…ofcourse nobody can tell where sickness or death will come from…but so long as he has strength and the proper state of mind, he has the seven years to serve.”