Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu, has been in the bad books of the opposition and Ghanaians at large for his seeming failure to meet expectations upon his appointment as the first Special Prosecutor.
Many had high hopes when President Akufo-Addo announced Martin Amidu as Special Prosecutor, with the task of fishing out perpetrators of corruption and subsequently putting them before court to face the law squarely.
However, more than two years after his appointment, there has been a significant ‘no show’ from the Office of the Special Prosecutor.
In the midst of all these, president of policy think-tank group IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, has found a way to lighten Amidu’s frustration stating that he is interested in the post.
Franklin Cudjoe was reacting to lamentations of the Special Prosecutor last year, stating that he was not surprised at the seeming frustration expressed by the Special Prosecutor.
According to Franklin Cudjoe, it was obvious Martin Amidu was working as a ‘loner’, stressing that fighting corruption cannot be achieved when the office lacked resources.
In a flashback on the sentiments raised by Amidu, Franklin posted on social media about the ordeal of the Special Prosecutor headlined “If by mid-2019 nothing happens in my office, it’s ‘game over’- Martin Amidu weeps.”
He captioned the report on his Facebook page “Me sef I want that post. Hurry Sir.”
In a recent interview, the citizen vigilante stated that he is very much aware of Ghanaians’ disappointment, adding that he fully understood the reasons for which much was expected from him.
“I understand why when I was appointed, there was euphoria because I was citizen vigilante, single-handedly fighting the canker of corruption,” he stressed.
Somewhere last year, Martin Amidu blamed his dormant outfit on government, stating that he has been neglected thus had to use his own “common sense” in the absence of a subsidiary legislation and resources, both cash and human to help him.
The report by Mynewsgh stated that the SP warned that if by the middle of the year 2019, his office is not well-resourced for him to carry out his mandate, then the game is practically over.
“I have warned that if most of these things are not done by the middle of next year then this office may not be able to be seen to be doing its mandate, because by middle next year we are in an election year”, Mr Amidu said.
“The law says I can coordinate with other organizations so I coordinate with the Auditor General, I coordinate with EOCO, I coordinate with other anti-corruption agencies so as to find a way by which we can begin to work towards the ultimate end. I have warned that if most of these things are not done by the middle of this year then this office may not be able to be seen to be doing its mandate, because by middle next year we are in an election year. If I arrest someone, you will turn out and look at it; which party does he hold the insurance card for?” he added.
Franklin Cudjoe, President of IMANI Africa