Martin Amidu, the former Special Prosecutor has been challenged to back his claims of a compromised arrangement between the minority National Democratic Congress and government over investigations into allegations of double salaries enjoyed by some appointees of the erstwhile Mahama administration.
In his latest write up which was copied to GhanaWeb, Amidu alleged that investigations into the issue was ended on the orders of President Akufo-Addo as part of an agreement between the government and the NDC in parliament.
Amidu averred that the NDC MPs agreed to approve Akufo-Addo’s ministerial nominees in fulfillment of government dropping the 2017 double salary probe.
“My informants and agents within the Executive and parliamentary NDC are certain that the MPs Double Salary cases and other pending criminal cases involving some NDC Members of Parliament, formed part of the negotiation and compromises that paved the way for the resolution of the ministerial approval impasse with the NDC in Parliament,” he said.
He further stated, “It is an open secret, for those who care to find out that the second batch of NDC contractors have submitted their requests to the appropriate quarters, through a representative of the NDC in Parliament, who is to facilitate payments as part of the agreed compromise.“
Reacting to these allegations in a JoyNew interview, Member of Parliament for Sagnarigu in the Northern Region, Alhaji A.B.A. Fuseini said the allegations were outrageous and had no basis.
Fuseini quizzed why Martin Amidu did not prosecute the NDC MPs during his time as Special Prosecutor.
“He is clothed with powers to prosecute without approval from the Attorney General so why didn’t he prosecute. He didn’t need the president’s authority to go and prosecute. If he was convinced that there was any evidence of double salary, he could have prosecuted. Why didn’t he do that?” he quizzed.
He challenged Martin Amidu to substantiate his claims with evidence, defending that no such evidence exists because ‘there was no double salary in the first place’.
“Martin Amidu as Special Prosecutor was aware of this matter. Where is the evidence? Who negotiated for the NPP and who negotiated for the NDC? There was no such thing so the burden of proof lies on the one making the allegation (which is Martin Amidu in this case). I’m saying that no such thing existed. No such agreement existed for someone to say that it happened.
“Let me ask, number 1, was there a salary for there to even be a double salary? As at the time that allegation was made, there was no salary. No appointee of President Mahama and MP was paid a salary. Members who were part of Article 71 were just paid on account. Nobody had a salary. Nobody was paid a salary for someone to even think that there was a double salary. It was a red herring. People were paid allowances in lieu of the salaries that was due them but there no salary,” he told JoyNews.
He further urged Martin Amidu not to draw the NDC MPs in the banter between him and Attorney General, Godfred Dame.
