Ghana’s Auditor General who was directed by President Akufo-Addo to forcefully take his accumulated annual leave, has said that the President’s directive to him was in bad fate.
A press release issued by the Director of Communications at the Office of the President on June 29, 2020, gave a Presidential order to the Auditor General, Mr. Daniel Domelevo to take his accumulated annual leave of 123 working days. He is to hand over all matters relating to the Office to the Deputy Auditor General, Mr. Johnson Akuamoah.
Mr. Daniel Domelevo in a letter of response to the Office of the President over the directive and copied to the media, indicated that he had since July 1, 2020 started his leave out of his respect for the High Office of the President of the Republic.
He however noted that his knowledge of the Labour law indicates that “no worker is deemed to have accumulated any leave on account of their having failed, omitted, neglected or even refused to enjoy their right to annual leave, which the law guarantees for their benefit, not the employer.”
He further insinuates that perhaps he is suffering this fate because the performance his constitutionally mandated duty is discomforting to government.
“Previous correspondence from the Chairman of the Audit Service Board (who works at the Office of the Senior Minister) together with the public pronouncement by Ministers make it clear that the Auditor-General’s work is embarrassing the government.
“The office must have also been aware that several appointees of the President, have not, since the year 2017 taken their annual leave to date. The direction therefore that I proceed on leave, oblivious of the other workers similarly circumstanced, gives the impression that the decision is not taken in good faith.”
According to the Auditor General’s letter, the directive of the President has serious implications for the constitutional independence of the office of the Auditor General and the performance of his duty over a case involving the Senior Minister, Yaw Osafo Marfo.
“In the Kroll and Associates Vrs. the Auditor General, the Supreme Court offered the lawyers 10 days from 24th June 2020, to bring their written submissions and the Auditor General is to inspect documents or evidence of work done for the Senior Minister before going back to the Supreme Court,” he observed.
Mr. Daniel Domelevo has therefore called on President Akufo-Addo to reconsider his directive to protect the sanctity of the Labour law, the constitution and the independence of the Auditor General which is of utmost importance in so far as ensuring that the constitutional principles of probity, transparency and accountability are concerned.
Source: Clement Akoloh || africanewsradio.com
