Anti-corruption campaigner, Vitus Azeem, has expressed concerns over President Akufo-Addo’s decision to extend the contract of Auditor-General, Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu by an additional two years.
The extension, which was announced in a notice from the Audit Service dated July 19, allows Mr Asiedu to remain in office beyond his original retirement date of August 1, 2024.
But in an interview on JoyNews’ News Desk on Thursday, June 20, Mr Azeem suggested that this move undermines the perceived independence of the Auditor-General.
He argued that such an extension raises suspicions that the Auditor-General might be inclined to favour the president and his appointees.
“People will go out with the perception that the current man is playing ball with the president and his appointees .. and that he is going to please the president and his appointees,” he stressed.
Mr Azeem also highlighted the controversial departure of former Auditor-General Dr. Daniel Yao Domelevo in 2020, which was linked to disputes over his date of birth, as a point of comparison to underscore the contentious nature of these appointments.
He further criticised the extension as a strategy by President Akufo-Addo in “a way to protect his future immediately after leaving office so the Auditor–General will not come after him and his appointees.”
He acknowledged that while the constitution permits extensions for certain officials, the context and implications of this specific extension cast doubt on the commitment to maintaining an independent and effective anti-corruption framework.
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