The special prosecutor nominee Martin Amidu has called on Ghanaians, especially those in public positions, to work selflessly and not for personal aggrandizement.
According to him, he has shied away from accepting awards or being in the limelight because he believes public service is all about touching lives and not for personal gains.
Appearing before the Appointment’s Committee of Parliament on Tuesday, February 13, 2018, he said throughout his life as a public officer, his objective is to put Ghana first ahead of personal interest.
“People called me about my case at the Supreme Court and offered me awards but I told them that it wasn’t about me, it’s about Ghana,” the Citizen Vigilante as he is popularly called told the Committee.
He added: “I generally don’t accept awards, I’d prefer people to emulate what I have done.”
The former deputy attorney general said he accepted the President’s nomination because he wants to fix the wrongs in the system.
“It’s important that this country is stabilized to make sure that no one gets the excuse to stage a coup. This can be done when we protect the national purse,” Mr. Amidu said.
The vetting of Mr. Amidu was in limbo after a former deputy Attorney General Dr. Ayine filed a suit at the at the Supreme Court on Monday arguing that the nominee is too old to hold the position.
He wants the apex court of the land to annul the appointment because “…by reason of his age, (66 years), Mr. Martin Alamisi Burns Kaiser Amidu is not qualified or eligible to be approved by Parliament as the Special Prosecutor under Section 13(3) of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2018 (Act 959).”
Meanwhile, the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joe Osei Owusu has stated that the age of Amidu cannot disqualify him from becoming the Special Prosecutor.
Martin A. B. K. Amidu was the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice from January 2011 till January 2012 under the late President John Evans Atta-Mills.
Amidu, a member of the NDC, served as the Deputy Attorney-General for about the last four years of the Provisional National Defence Council military government.
After civilian rule was established in the Fourth Republic in January 1993, he continued to serve in the government of Jerry Rawlings as Deputy Attorney-General. This he did for both terms lasting eight years until January 2001.
In the December 2000 presidential elections, he stood as the running mate of John Atta Mills. They both, however, lost to President John Kufuor that year.
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