Impeccable sources close to the Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu, have hinted The Herald that, he might soon bow out of the place for lack of resources in his fight against corruption.
This revelation, follows his latest statement in which he stated that his office finds itself in an “almost hopeless situation” a year after it was established by President Akufo-Addo, in a sensational manner.
Mr Amidu, since his appointment has made the necessary noises to get the attention of President Akufo-Addo, for the tools to be provided him, but these have not yielded the result, and insiders say last week’s statement, might just be the last one from him, as he could shock the nation with a resignation.
Last week Thursday, Mr Amidu, wrote that the office of the Special Prosecutor, one year after its establishment, has only a small three bed room house as an Office, and this is woefully inadequate for the job it has been tasked to do.
In an article, Mr Amidu, christened the citizen vigilante writes that the “Whitaker’s scenario which I have just read reinforces my own conviction that the effective way to stifle the fight against corruption is to apply Whitaker’s scenario.”
“It also reminds me of the almost utter hopelessness in which the newly established Office of the Special Prosecutor finds itself almost one year after the President caused its establishment as his flagship and vision to fight corruption in Ghana with an overwhelming national consensus and support.”
“One year down the line it has only a small three bed room house as an Office woefully inadequate for lack of shear physical space to accommodate any reasonable number of employees, lack of subsidiary legislation, and consequently also financially crippled without any ability to acquire the requisite expensive operational anti-corruption and other equipment for the Office let alone to function efficiently.”
“Creating unilateral unrealistic and crippling budget ceilings for such a deprived agency has same effect as the Whitaker scenario. By analogical reasoning the Whitaker scenario reported by the Associated Press resembles the situation of the Office of the Special Prosecutor since its establishment in spite of the President’s sincere commitment to his vision.”
Below is the full article By Martin Amidu;
THE WHITAKER SCENARIO – STIFLING INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATIVE AGENCIES OF FUNDS
The former United States Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, on 7th November 2018 announced his resignation as US Attorney General and made it clear it was at the request of the President –“at your request”.
The Chief of Staff of the Justice Department, Matthew Whitaker, whom Jeff Session appointed in September 2017, was appointed the Acting Attorney General to the displeasure of the opposition Democrats because of the likely effect of the new acting appointment on Robert Mueller’s investigations into the allegation of Russian meddling into the 2016 US elections.
The opposition Democrats’ fear that the new Acting Attorney General will assume full oversight over Mueller’s investigations and is demanding that like Jeff Sessions, he recuses himself from those investigations because of his previous comments on the probe. Acting Attorney General Whitaker’s comments were made before he joined the Justice Department.
Whitaker’s comments before Sessions appointed him to the Justice Department has just opened my eyes to how an independent investigation and prosecutorial agency such as Ghana’s Office of the Special Prosecutor can be disabled from effectively and efficiently performing its mandate without direct interference with its so called independence and impartiality.
The Associated Press of 8th November 2018 has an article captioned: “With new Justice Official, fate of Russia probe in question”. That caption has no relevance to how to disable an independent investigation institution from performing its duties but what is attributed to the new Justice Official, Whitaker, has. The Associated Press article says:
“Whitaker, a former U.S .attorney from Iowa who twice run unsuccessfully for statewide office….,once opined about a scenario in which Trump could fire Sessions and then appoint an acting attorney general who could stifle the funding of Mueller’s probe.
In that scenario, Mueller’s budget could be reduced ‘so low that his investigation grinds to a halt’. Whitaker said during an interview in CNN in July 2017 before he joined the Justice Department.”
Whitaker’s scenario which I have just read reinforces my own conviction that the effective way to stifle the fight against corruption is to apply Whitaker’s scenario.
It also reminds me of the almost utter hopelessness in which the newly established Office of the Special Prosecutor finds itself almost one year after the President caused its establishment as his flagship and vision to fight corruption in Ghana with an overwhelming national consensus and support.
One year down the line it has only a small three bed room house as an Office woefully inadequate for lack of shear physical space to accommodate any reasonable number of employees, lack of subsidiary legislation, and consequently also financially crippled without any ability to acquire the requisite expensive operational anti-corruption and other equipment for the Office letalone to function efficiently.
Creating unilateral unrealistic and crippling budget ceilings for such a deprived agency has same effect as the Whitaker scenario. By analogical reasoning the Whitaker scenario reported by the Associated Press resembles the situation of the Office of the Special Prosecutor since its establishment in spite of the President’s sincere commitment to his vision.
The Whitaker scenario appears to be taking shape in November 2018 in the United States of America. Here in Ghana I see the absolute need for all citizens, particularly the electorate who brought the President personally to power to support him to ensure that his promised vision of fighting corruption materializes during his first term in Office. The 1992 Constitution supports the President’s vision and every patriotic citizen is mandated by the Constitution to support him.
I know for a fact that our President means business but there is a missing link provided by the Whitaker scenario to which civil society should wake up now or forever stop blaming the President. We are going into his third year in Office and we must all be stakeholders in the fight against corruption.
This is not politics. This is a fundamental patriotic obligation enjoined by the 1992 Constitution for its defence and to save our dear country of a malignant canker of corruption that has ravaged it since independence. Join the citizen patriotic fight against corruption in Ghana now! Prevent corruption now! Act now! Save Ghana now!
By: Martin A. B. K. Amidu
North Legon, Accra
Source: The Herald
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INSTEAD OF AKUFFO ADDO STAYING IN GHANA TO SEE THAT ORGANS OF STATE INSTITUTIONS ARE WORKING,HE IS ALWAYS TRAVELLING AROUND WHY WOULDN'T MARTIN AMIDU RESIGN.I HAD GREAT HOPES IN AKUUFO ADDO BUT NOW I THINK HE IS BEGINNING TO LET US DOWN.HE SHOULD STOP TRAVELLING AND STAY AT HOME TO WORK.FOUR YEARS IS NOT A LONG TIME YOU KNOW.
The President himself is a corrupt man so how can he allow Martin Amidu to work ?
Do you people think Herald news paper will be the best source of Sir Martin Amidu's decision? these are the papers he called ***barred word*** rented ndc papers and how on earth will you believe this ***barred word***? ndc are confused and bringing in things that are not necessary for the reorganization of their party ! I'm surprised these people in the ndc have no agenda of rebuilding and rebranding their party than running with things that are not necessary and not helping their party ! if I were a member I will focus on what will attract people to the party but not what will drive them away! ndc has become a party of criticism with no solution, a party of noise making with no sense! a party of talk talk things that do not need comment will be commented by the ndc what kind of people are you? or you just don't understand politics? politics don't mean noise making to disturb the minds of the people and that is what ndc is doing and everyone is fed up with them ! Y'abr3 mo!
This again is wishful thinking and I bet Martin is not that type of a guy who gives up so easily. Those who wish his down-falls will be very much disappointedThen he will emerge energetic, well prepared for the task and get the ball rolling.
Nana Addo always make bad choices. today Bawumia has matured politically and adding a lot to the government, but at the time Nana chose him, it was truly a bad choice. The timing for the implementation of the free SHS was bad. The government knows that it has stifled its efforts in resolving major problems in health and roads. The choice of Martin Amidu is also bad, Nana was running away from political witch hunt but feel in bad hands. Martin's ego is uncontrollable. It was not for nothing that Prof Mills has to drop him as his running mate. Nana thought Prof made a mistake, no that gentle man was very intelligent. Nana, watch out for a big disgrace from Martin.
As for character, it is like pregnancy it can never be hidden da........ when he was doing it to Mils then Mahama, you thought he was the best vigilante ever!!! My take, NPP just picked him to hunt the NDC but was afraid of its (NPP) own shadows....... fiafitor fi fiafitor.........
NANA "KRAMAN" AKUFO ADDO IS NOT AN ACHIEVER AND HAS NEVER BEEN AN ACHIEVER AND CAN NEVER BE AN ACHIEVER. HIS CONTAMINATED BLOOD AS AN UNDERACHIEVER HAS AFFECTED MARTIN AMIDU. NO WONDER THE RESOURCES CAN NOT BE PROVIDED FOR THE WORK TO BE DONE BY THE SPECIAL PROSECUTOR (SP). IT IS A WAY OF SABOTAGEING THE SP SO THAT HE RESIGNS TO PAVE THE WAY FOR NANA "KRAMAN" AKUFO ADDO TO APPOINT HIS OWN PERSON TO PROTECT HIM AGAINST HIS (NANA) OWN CORRUPT PRACTICES. WE CAN READ THROUGH THE LINES AND THE ACTIONS AND INACTIONS OF NANA "KRAMAN" AKUFO ADDO.
This Amidu guy should stop disturbing the peace of this country with all the noises he keeps making all over the place with plenty English grammar. If you don’t like the job get out. Or keep quiet and enjoy your salary. You talk about integrity and yet you don’t have one. Can’t you keep quiet and be loyal to the person who gave you the job. We have people who can do the job better than you so if you can’t close your mouth then stop the plenty noise and resign cos nobody is going to give you any tax payers money to waist. Ale TS)
it will be a big shame for Martin to resign. Martin an office can't be set up at ago. Why can't you start with what you have now and stop complaining? You are becoming a spoilt child. What type of office were you using when you revealed the corrupt practices of Woyome and others? Do you want to have JOB 600 before you start work. You are disappointing a lot of us. Why are you not taking up these matters with your board, the AG and the President? Remember that you are a Special Prosecutor and cannot be making noise in the media anyhow. I don't that is the way to go. Go and speak with the appointing authority. Do you see how the media is twisting your complaints? I know you are a matured lawyer and politician and I think dialogue can do the trick SS.
The top three corrupt men in Gh are Martin Amidu, JJ Rawlings, Anas. Ghanaians should take a close look at their activities and should not be decieved.