Akufo-Addo fell into the same trap of ‘clearing’ appointees – Senanu on Dame’s plaudits

Edem Senanu, Co-chair of Citizens Movement against Corruption, has observed that President Nana Akufo-Addo could have avoided his commendations for Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Godfred Dame Yeboah due to his alleged professional misconduct in the ongoing ambulance purchase trial.

The High Court judge, Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, presiding over the ambulance purchase trial, which involves Minority Leader Cassiel Ato Forson and Mr. Richard Jakpa, recommended that Attorney-General Godfred Dame step aside from the trial.

This advice follows the judge’s concern over the Attorney-General’s interaction with the third accused, Richard Jakpa, outside of court.

 During this interaction in a leaked audio recording, they discussed the case’s details, including Jakpa’s submission of a medical excuse to seek a trial adjournment.

However, President Akufo whilst delivering a speech at the commissioning of the new office complex to house the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice in Accra on Monday, commended Mr Dame as a product of his law firm, despite calls for him to dismiss Mr Dame.

“He [Godfred Dame] has done a yeoman’s job, and I say a hearty ayekoo to him. After all, and not to be overlooked, he is one of the many worthy products of M/S Akufo-Addo, Prempeh & Co,” President Akufo-Addo posted on Facebook on Monday after commissioning ‘The Law House’.
Also, the President used the occasion to respond to the “clearing agent” tag as far as his alleged corrupt appointees are concerned.

He indicated that for his part in fighting corruption, he will not “set aside due process and the rules of natural justice on the altar of the fight against corruption.”

But Mr Senanu maintained that the President’s comments fuel the perception that he is not interested in ensuring due processes are completed when his appointees are named in any corrupt practices.
“I think that he probably is not noting that he tends to do this over and over again and truly as he was speaking he was falling into the same trap of clearing because he should just have silent…but to wade into commentary about him coming from your stable… and clearly justaposes the content against what the high court has said in terms of his professional conduct, etc., which I think the president could have just ignored.
“Clearly, the Constitution frowns about the situation where your personal relationships and interests begin to have an influence on public performance and perhaps when he talks about due process, his attention should be drawn to this fact. So, no, I don’t think that the President helped the situation in any way by those comments,” Mr Senanu told Johnnie Hughes on 3FM’s Sunrise show on Tuesday, June 11.

Source:3news.com