{"id":466957,"date":"2018-02-23T17:30:28","date_gmt":"2018-02-23T17:30:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ghana-mma.com\/2018\/02\/23\/president-akufo-addo-swears-in-martin-amidu-as-special-prosecutor\/"},"modified":"2018-02-23T17:30:28","modified_gmt":"2018-02-23T17:30:28","slug":"president-akufo-addo-swears-in-martin-amidu-as-special-prosecutor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2018\/02\/23\/president-akufo-addo-swears-in-martin-amidu-as-special-prosecutor\/","title":{"rendered":"President Akufo-Addo swears in Martin Amidu as Special Prosecutor"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"medsection1\">\n<!-- End of html generated by this->header() --><\/p>\n<p class=\"floatLeft\">General News of Friday, 23 February 2018<\/p>\n<p class=\"floatRight\"><strong>Source: <\/strong>Flagstaff House Communications Bureau<\/p>\n<p>2018-02-23<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-left\">\n<p class=\"article-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ghanamma.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/46977450.295.jpg\" alt=\"Vice Prosecutor1\" title=\"Vice Prosecutor1\" width=\"295\" height=\"197\" \/><span class=\"play-icon\">play video<\/span><span class=\"image_caption\"><span>Martin Amidu, Special Prosecutor nominee<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"noPrint\">\n<div id=\"537626303\" style=\"width:300;height:250;margin:0;padding:0\">\n<p>\t\t  <noscript><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"b2ad7fa7fd\" name=\"b2ad7fa7fd\" src=\"http:\/\/ghanaweb-d.openx.net\/w\/1.0\/afr?auid=537626303&amp;cb=151125817929577\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" width=\"300\" height=\"250\"><a href=\"\/\/ghanaweb-d.openx.net\/w\/1.0\/rc?cs=b2ad7fa7fd&amp;cb=151125817929577\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t  <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ghanamma.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/1519407027_268_ai\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/iframe><\/noscript><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p style=\"clear:right\">The President of the Republic, Nana AddoDankwa Akufo-Addo, on Friday, 23rd February, 2018, swore into office Martin Alamisi Burns Kaiser as the Special Prosecutor.<\/p>\n<p>At an event at the Flagstaff House, President Akufo-Addo noted that the Ghanaian people expect the Office of the Special Prosecutor to rise to the occasion, and collaborate with other existing law enforcement agencies, to fight relentlessly, and help eliminate corruption in the nation\u2019s public life. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe expect the Special Prosecutor to discharge his duties vigorously, with courage, without fear or favour, ill-will or malice, in accordance with the rule of law. The establishment of this Office is for a high purpose, and must not, under any circumstances, be used as an avenue for persecution or vengeance,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n<p>President Akufo-Addo further noted that \u201cthe overwhelming, popular acceptance by the good people of Ghana, and the strong consensus approval by Parliament, of Mr.Amidu\u2019s nomination, justify the confidence I repose in him.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><b>Below is the speech delivered by the President at the swearing-in ceremony<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Let me first welcome you all warmly to the seat of our nation\u2019s presidency.<br \/>&#13;<br \/>\nOn the second day of this year, I assented to the enactment of the Office of Special Prosecutor Act, 2017, (Act 959). Pursuant thereto, the Attorney-General, Ms Gloria Akuffo, in compliance with the provisions of s.13(3) of the Act, wrote to me, on 11th January, 2018, to nominate Mr. Martin Alamisi Burns Kaiser Amidu for appointment as Special Prosecutor. <\/p>\n<p>I readily accepted the Attorney General\u2019s nomination, and, on the same day, announced his nomination to the country, and, subsequently, on 11th January, 2018, I sought the approval of Parliament for the appointment.<\/p>\n<p>After a spirited and revealing vetting of the nominee, Parliament, on 20th February, 2018, notified me, by letter under the hand of the Speaker, the Rt. Hon. Michael Aaron Oquaye, of its decision to approve, by consensus, the nomination of Mr.Amidu for appointment as Special Prosecutor. <\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/content.jwplatform.com\/players\/ARAHrdBk-GtVgZhNx.html\" width=\"600\" height=\"350\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"auto\" allowfullscreen=\"\" style=\"position:absolute;\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>By the swearing-in of Mr.Amidu this afternoon, the process of appointment of the Special Prosecutor, set forth in s.13 of the Act, has been completed. <br \/>&#13;<br \/>\nThe enactment of Act 959, and the successful appointment of a Special Prosecutor, are historic events in our modern history. <\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ghanamma.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/57176976.jpg\" align=\"middle\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The Ghanaian people have, in overwhelming numbers, denounced the canker of corruption that has, in recent years, engulfed the public life of our nation to the detriment of our progress. The response of the New Patriotic Party to this strong, popular sentiment, was to pledge, inter alia, in its Manifesto for the 2016 general elections, the establishment of the Office of Special Prosecutor, an independent, non-partisan body, with the relevant professional capability, to lead the fight against corruption, and hold public officials, past and present, accountable for their stewardship of public finances.<\/p>\n<p>The Ghanaian people expect the Office of the Special Prosecutor to rise to the occasion, and collaborate with other existing law enforcement agencies, to fight relentlessly, and help eliminate corruption in our public life. We expect the Special Prosecutor to discharge his duties vigorously, with courage, without fear or favour, ill-will or malice, in accordance with the rule of law. The establishment of this Office is for a high purpose, and must not, under any circumstances, be used as an avenue for persecution or vengeance. <\/p>\n<p>The Office will be required to do justice to all manner of persons.  In his book, \u201cPractice and Procedure In The Trial Courts and Tribunals of Ghana\u201d (2011, Second Edition), the respected, former member of the Supreme Court, Brobbey JSC, reiterated the overriding duty of a Prosecutor in the following words: \u201cAlways the principle holds that (the prosecutor) is concerned with justice first, justice second and conviction a very bad third\u201d.  <\/p>\n<p>The overwhelming, popular acceptance by the good people of Ghana, and the strong consensus approval by Parliament, of Mr.Amidu\u2019s nomination justify the confidence I repose in him. <\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ghanamma.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/32104693.jpg\" align=\"middle\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Indeed, his eloquence and grasp of issues, displayed to the public during his recent vetting, is further testimony of the soundness of his appointment. <\/p>\n<p>I want to assure him that not only will the Executive, including the Attorney General, respect scrupulously the independence of his Office, but will also provide him with whatever assistance is required to enable him discharge his high duties effectively, in the interest of the Ghanaian people. <\/p>\n<p>The recent publication of Ghana\u2019s score in the 2017 Corruption Perception Index, organised by Transparency International, showing a further drop in our standing, a result largely based on \u201cthe plethora of corruption allegations\/expos\u00e9s\u201d before the onset of this administration, indicates the enormity of the task ahead. <\/p>\n<p>It is noteworthy that its local chapter, Ghana Integrity Initiative, in commenting on the report, has acknowledged that \u201cdigitisation is changing the ways we communicate and how we do business, and as a result reduced the corruption rate in Ghana.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>The Special Prosecutor cannot do it all by himself. He requires the active co-operation of all the institutions of our state, as well as that of the general public, if he is to be successful in the fight against corruption.  <br \/>&#13;<br \/>\nI have known Martin Amidu for several years.<\/p>\n<p>Indeed, I was his opposing counsel in many of the landmark constitutional cases in the early years of the 4th Republic in the 1990s, and can personally testify to the tenacity with which he holds onto his views. That tenacity has now to be exercised in favour of the Ghanaian people in his new office.<\/p>\n<p>I congratulate him on his deserved appointment, and wish him God\u2019s guidance in the effort he will undoubtedly be making to try to instil integrity and accountability in the governance of our country. The ultimate beneficiaries of his actions, indeed, of the actions of all of us in public office, will be the Ghanaian people.  <\/p>\n<p>Thank you, and may God bless us all and our homeland Ghana, and make her great and strong.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/content.jwplatform.com\/players\/Fs0ntVGP-GtVgZhNx.html\" width=\"600\" height=\"350\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"auto\" allowfullscreen=\"\" style=\"position:absolute;\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><!-- uploaded by: 39 updated by: 63 --><\/p>\n<p><!-- Start of html generated by this->footer() -->\n<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a style=\"display:none\" rel=\"follow\" href=\"http:\/\/megatheme.ir\/\" title=\"\u0642\u0627\u0644\u0628 \u0648\u0631\u062f\u067e\u0631\u0633\">\u0642\u0627\u0644\u0628 \u0648\u0631\u062f\u067e\u0631\u0633<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>General News of Friday, 23 February 2018 Source: Flagstaff House Communications Bureau 2018-02-23 play videoMartin Amidu, Special Prosecutor nominee The President of the Republic, Nana AddoDankwa Akufo-Addo, on Friday, 23rd February, 2018, swore into office Martin Alamisi Burns Kaiser as the Special Prosecutor. At an event at the Flagstaff House, President Akufo-Addo noted that the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":466959,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-466957","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-local-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2018\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/466957","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2018\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2018\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2018\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=466957"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2018\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/466957\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2018\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=466957"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2018\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=466957"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2018\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=466957"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}