Anti-corruption campaigner Vitus Azeem says President Akufo-Addo should have asked the former Auditor-General, Daniel Yaw Domelovo to continue in his post despite exceeding his retirement age.
Speaking on The Big Issue, he said this could have been a boost to the corruption fight.
“This Auditor-General is helping to save money for this country so, even if he didn’t write to ask for an extension after his time was due, then there was nothing wrong with the president asking him to stay because of the good work he did,” Mr. Azeem said.
He was ultimately critical of the decision to force Mr. Domelevo on retirement after his controversial forced-accumulated leave.
On March 2, a day before Mr. Domelevo was scheduled to return from his leave, the Audit Service Board questioned his nationality and age saying he should have retired in 2020 and is Togolese.
The Board, based its claims on records at the Social Security and National Insurance Trust provided by the Auditor General where his date of birth is said to be June 1, 1960, and not June 1, 1961.
Mr. Domelevo however refuted these claims in further correspondence.
The Presidency endorsed the retirement claims of the Audit Service Board and said it considered Mr. Domelevo retired.
Mr. Azeem expressed misgivings with the turn of events.
“Where did they get the information to show that he had accumulated leave and did not get the information to know he was due for retirement in June 2020 because every employee has a file so again it creates the impression that you are just looking for ways of getting him out of the way.”
“Of course the president might have done nothing illegal but sometimes when you take advantage of the law for some personal, I don’t think it is acceptable by society and that is why many people are against it.”
He also noted the was significant public disapproval following the decision to retire Mr. Domelevo.
“You go to social media and you see the things that people are saying about this issue and I think that, especially, coming from a president that promised this country that he was going to fight corruption or was described as incorruptible.”
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