The optics of resigned Special Prosecutor Amidu

The optics looked good when President Nana Akufo-Addo upon assumption of office fulfilled a promise to set up an office of a special prosecutor.

The optics even looked better when the first occupier of the office was a no-nonsense, fearless, member of the opposition party who had not spared his own party in his anti-corruption and graft campaign… earning him the envious citizen vigilante title.

The optics looked good! It seemed for the first time we had a President willing to tackle corruption, even if it meant exposing his own administration to scrutiny.

Citizens were elated and hopeful, at long last many chorused, Amidu the crusader, was on the prowl- corruption and its agents better take cover!

There were cautious voices in the midst of the frenzy, they knew the man, but they knew the system even better!

And the system and the man Amidu will make strange bedfellows…it was only a matter of time they prophesied.

Today they have come for their stone.

The man Amidu and the system cannot mix. There is no chemistry yet to mix water and oil. Politics like misery acquaints a man to strange bedfellows. And yes, it is said that the path to hell is carved with good intentions and to heaven Good works.

Let me return to the optics: The optics started looking not so good when the complaints started pouring in from the ‘citizen vigilante’ now Special Prosecutor, who was poised to root out corruption in Ghana no matter whose ox will be gored.

The citizens’ initial euphoria started ebbing when the crusader started crying about his missing weapons- he had been put to battle without an army and weapons… how could he win.

There was still hope, The Amidu, will not touch the president, he believed as we did that the General meant good, however his assigns, were sabotaging his orders to cooperate with the ‘Special one’.

Amidu soldiered on and we the citizens grudgingly limped along. And then it came: the Good news about the ‘Good Father’! AGYAPA. At long last, we jumped and inhaled some air, as we poured over pages and pages of the missiles contained in the ‘Special One’s’ special AGYAPA Corruption Risk Analysis report.

This was going to be a test to the President’s Commitment- how he responds and reacts to this Risk analysis report involving key members of his administration will say a lot.

But this is where things started going South! And the Optics began disintegrating. The Amidu, in his words, hadn’t ever seen such a negative reaction to his work as he had experienced in days following his published report!

And so he resigned with another explosive missile- this time he made sure he released ‘all’ the weapons he had been keeping inside of him! He had to protect himself as his only protector (Former President Rawlings) had just died.

He was on his own he believed and now he was at complete variance with the President who had appointed him, he tells us.

Take your post and let me take my life, my values.

There are two sides in this matter; The Amidu and what he believes and knows Or The President and what he believes and knows.

What is not contestable though is that the non-partisan fight against corruption and graft, perceived or real has yet again suffered a devastating blow. And the OPTICS IS SCARY!.

Citizen Shamima.