Auditor-General Daniel Yao Domelevo says he has been instructed to take his annual leave because his work is embarrassing the government. ...
Auditor-General Daniel Yao Domelevo says he has been instructed to take his annual leave because his work is embarrassing the government.
In a letter to the Secretary to the president, Nana Asante Bediatuo, he said the decision to instruct him to go on leave was not taken in good faith.
“I think it is necessary, however, to bring to the attention of the high office of the President a few matters relevant to our constitutional governance, due process and the rule of law,” the letter said.
But he’s choosing to follow the instruction simply out of respect for the office of the president.
President Akufo-Addo asked the Auditor-General, Daniel Domelevo to take his accumulated leave last week.
Director of Communications at the Jubilee House in the statement said Mr Domelevo is expected to begin the leave on July 1, 2020.
“The President’s decision to direct Mr Domelevo to take his accumulated leave is based on sections 20 (1) and 31 of the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651), which apply to workers, including public office holders such as the Auditor-General.
“According to the Act, a worker is entitled to annual leave with full pay, in a calendar year of continuous service which cannot be relinquished or forgone by the worker or the employer,” the statement said.
The statement further noted that since his appointment, Mr Domelevo has only taken nine working days of his accumulated annual leave of 123 days.
Mr Domelevo is to hand over all matters relating to his office to the Deputy Auditor-General, Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu until his return from his “well-deserved leave.”
But in his letter, he said handing over to Mr Akuamoah Asiedu has serious implications for the constitutional independence of the Auditor-General.
“I have been constrained to make the points above as results of the following main observations:
“(i) Previous correspondence from the Chairman of the Audit Service Board (who works at the Office of the Senior Minister) together with the public pronouncement by Minister makes it clear that the Auditor-General’s work is embarrassing the government.
“(ii) The office must have been aware also that several appointees of the president, have not, since 2017 taken their annual leave to date. The direction, therefore, that I proceed on leave, oblivious of the other workers similarly circumstanced, gives the impression that the decision is not taken good faith.
“(iii) In the Kroll and Associates vrs the Auditor-General, the Supreme Court offered the lawyer 10 days from June 24, 200, to bring their written submission and the Auditor-General is to inspect documents or evidence of work done for the Senior Minister before going back to the Supreme Court.”
COMMENTS