The coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) has on Monday filed a writ at the Supreme Court challenging the June 29, presidential directive for the Auditor-General, Daniel Domelevo to proceed on involuntary leave.
The President went ahead to appoint Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu, an officer of the Audit Service, to act as Auditor-General during the 167 working days that the Auditor-General is supposed to be away on forced leave.
The coalition includes Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), SEND Ghana, Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), Citizen Ghana Movement, Africa Center for Energy Policy (ACEP), Parliamentary Network Africa, Penplusbytes, Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and One Ghana Movement.
On July 7, this year, a coalition of CSOs called a press conference in response to the President’s action and issued an appeal to the President to rescind his directive to Mr Domelevo.
The CSOs expressed grave concern over the constitutional and governance implications of the President’s action.
The International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) and the English-Speaking section of the African Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (AFROSAI-E) also implored the President to reconsider his decision.
The coalition indicated at its press conference that it would consider recourse to legal action to defend the Constitution and the independence of the Auditor-General should it become necessary.
“We had hoped that the President would reconsider his decision in light of the deleterious effect of his action on public accountability and the fight against waste and corruption in the management of public finances. Unfortunately, that has not happened.
“Instead, certain developments since the Auditor-General was forced to leave his office have only gone to worsen the situation, leaving us with no option but to seek the intervention of the courts,” the coalition said in a press release Monday.
The CSOs are “hopeful that through the legal action it can safeguard the independence of the Office of the Auditor-General and all independent constitutional offices established under the Constitution of the 4th Republic so that they can discharge their lawful mandates effectively without fear or favour and, thereby, play their respective parts in our collective effort to build and strengthen the pillars of constitutionalism, checks and balances, and accountability in Ghana.”
