Domelevo won’t be ‘brought back’ from Leave – Presidency

The Jubilee House has dismissed petitions clamouring for the recall of Auditor General Daniel Domevelo from his controversial accumulated leave.

About 2,700 individuals had earlier signed a petition calling on President Akufo-Addo to reverse his directive ordering the Auditor-General, Daniel Domelevo to take his accumulated leave.

According to the petitioners, the president directive and the manner in which the Auditor-General has been temporarily ‘ousted’, raises concerns about government’s commitment to fight corruption.

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But responding to the petition, the Presidency said the various arguments being raised in the petition were first considered by the President before the directive was issued.

Meanwhile, Pressure Group OccupyGhana has also joined petitioners in mounting pressure on government to ‘bring back’ the Auditor General from his leave.

Below is a statement by OcuppyGhana

OccupyGhana® has observed with great disquiet the circumstances leading to and following the President’s directive to the Auditor-General to proceed on an ‘accumulated leave.’ We find it difficult reconciling that directive with the constitutional injunction under which in the performance of his functions, which necessarily includes the mundane matter of whether, when and how he takes his leave, the Auditor-General is insulated from the ‘direction and control of any person or authority.’

While it may be best industrial, governance and management practice for every worker, including the Auditor-General, to take an annual leave, we think the constitutional insulation of that office is clear and leaves no room for any penumbra within which the presidential directive may operate. Even if there was, which we dispute, the circumstances of this matter should have given the Executive a great opportunity for exercising restraint of power and the development of the constitutional check and balances inherent in the creation and protection of independent constitutional bodies.

Ours is still a nascent democracy that requires all of us to assist in upholding the independence of constitutionally protected bodies such as the Auditor-General, the Electoral Commission, CHRAJ and the Judiciary. Ghana would be the ultimate loser if presidential power is deployed to micromanage any of these independent constitutional bodies, contrary to the express terms of the Constitution.