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Communications Director of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Yaw Buaben Asamoa has exposed the falsehood peddled by Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu regarding his emoluments and other benefits of his office.

Martin Amidu Resigns

The Special Prosecutor has resigned from his position after he (Martin Amidu) forwarded his corruption risk assessment report of the government's Agyapa Royalties deal to President Nana Akufo-Addo.

The report purportedly indicted the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta and other parties involved in the Agyapa Royalties deal of corruption, for which the President directed Hon. Ofori-Atta to respond to the issues raised by the Special Prosecutor in his report.

The Finance Minister, in a reply to Martin Amidu, made clarifications to the contents of the Agyapa corruption risk assessment report.

Mr. Martin Amidu also cited the infamous Airbus scandal in his report and mentioned the former President John Dramani Mahama as the ''Government Official 1'' stated in the Airbus bribery scandal.

Mr. John Mahama got infuriated by the mention of his name in the report and branded Mr. Amidu as a ''coward''.

Following the controversies surrounding the report, Mr. Amidu has tendered his resignation letter to the President.

Reasons

In a press release on Monday, November 17, 2020, Mr. Martin Amidu gave reasons for his decision.

He accused the Akufo-Addo government of failing to give him an appointment letter since his office was established.

He also revealed that he and his Deputy have not been paid since assuming office two years ago, among other reasons for his resignation.

“It is essential for me to state for the purpose of the records, and contrary to public perceptions, that my appointment letter was received on 5th February 2020 (almost two (2)-years after my appointment). The copy addressees made no efforts to honour any of the conditions of appointment in terms of emoluments and benefits of the appointment ever since my warrant of appointment was issued on 23rd February 2018 to the date of my letter of resignation. I accepted the offer on 10th January 2018 to be nominated to be Special Prosecutor because Mr. President, and Ghanaians knew I have been an anti-corruption crusader all my life and not an anti-corruption entrepreneur. This explains why I have never put the emoluments and benefits of the Office as central to my commitment and my passion for the establishment of an independent, effective, efficient and impartial anti-corruption Office of the Special Prosecutor before the end of the first term of Mr. President. This has not been possible for several reasons.

“The Deputy Special Prosecutor has also not been paid any emoluments since her appointment, and there is the need to redress that situation for her now that I am out of the way,” he stated.

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Martin Amidu Lied

Mr. Yaw Buaben Asamoa has refuted Mr. Amidu's claims and disclosed that Mr. Amidu has accumulated over Ghc 60 million in his official account since assuming office.

He also revealed that the government has given the Special Prosecutor a nine-story building at Ridge and so wondered why he will turn around to point fingers at the President and his government.

"Ask him how much money he received in his official account over the past three years . . . He claims he didn't have his appointment letter, what was he sitting there for? If his appointment letter had not been given to him and he can't fend for himself, how was he surviving for the past three years? Go and check his account right now to see the money he has hoarded in his account," he told host Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo'.

To Yaw Buaben Asamoa, Mr. Amidu shouldn't blame the government for his inability to manage his office.

"Martin's administration just didn't go well . . . He has over 60 million cedis in his account right now as we speak. From 2017, 2018, 2019, he was given money . . . it was put in the account to run the institution. The institution is not running; administratively the institution is not running . . . that is the crux of this matter. His inability to establish an administration is what he is saying that he's living in a two-bedroom bungalow. What is he living in a two-bedroom bungalow for when you have a nine-story building? It's situated at Ridge and is one of the GETFUND buildings. It was being amended to his satisfaction. The office of the Special Prosecutor, he has a nine-storey building dedicated to him," he stated.