Ablakwa Faults Akufo-Addo’s Dismissal Of Adu Boahen

Member of Parliament for North Tongu constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has questioned the constitutionality of the dismissal of the Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, Charles Adu Boahen.

According to him, Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia should have exercised that power in accordance with Article 60(8) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana which states that “Whenever the President is absent from Ghana or for any other reason is unable to perform functions of his Office, the Vice President shall perform the function of the President until the President returns or is able to perform his function.”

A press release dated November 14, 2022, and signed by the Director of communications at the Jubilee House, Eugene Arhin, communicated the President’s “purported” dismissal of Adu Boahen over an alleged influence peddling and corruption and corruption-related offences.

This was communicated a day after the President left the country for London on a Private visit.

Ablakwa finds the action of the President at variance with the constitution.

He believes that constitutionally, Bawumia should have dismissed Adu Boahen.

“Considering the constitutional provision under Article 60( which has been further anchored by a Supreme Court pronouncement to the effect that whenever the President is absent from Ghana the Vice President performs the functions of the President until the President returns, shouldn’t Acting President Bawumia be the one to fire the disgraced Charles Adu Boahen?

“Can we be certain that President Akufo-Addo’s purported dismissal of Mr Adu Boahen today which is expected to take “immediate effect” per a presidential statement dated November 14, 2022 meets Ghana’s constitutional requirement?”

Dismissal of Adu Boahen

The President terminated the appointment of the Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, Charles Adu Boahen over corruption and corruption-related offences on November 14, 2022.

Per the statement, the decision to terminate the appointment was after the President became aware of allegations levelled against him in “Galamsey Economy”- the new documentary by Tiger Eye P.I, an investigative firm headed by Investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas.

A part of the investigative piece captures Adu Boahen allegedly engaged in influence peddling and taking bundles of US Dollars (bribe) from an undercover journalist disguised as a potential investor for Ghana to lead him to the vice president.

According to a publication of a part of the documentary by Anas- head of Tiger Eye- Adu Boahen told the investor the vice president needed USD200,000 as an appearance fee as well as secured positions for his siblings in exchange for his attention and endorsement.

“You mean, like appearance fees and stuff? I mean he, himself (the Vice President), if you give him some (USD) 200,000 or something as a token, as thank you, appreciation, that’s fine. He’s not really, he’s not really (like) that. All he needs is to worry about his campaign money in 2020,” Charles Adu Boahen revealed.

“So, if you come with 3 or 4 projects and you say, we are doing this, we are doing that, (and) we are prepared to write a cheque for this, write a cheque (for that). You see, he has a big family. (The) Vice President has about 5 or 6 brothers and sisters. So, what may be, will happen is; if you tell him (the Vice President) that, hey, look, I want to do this project, do you have somebody that I can work with that you will introduce me to? And then, you know, he (the Vice President) will use that to immediately put his brother to work with us on a particular project. That’s how we would be able to work with him (the Vice President). You know what I mean? You see what I’m saying? And the development of his businesses,” the Minister of State in charge of Finance in the Office of the President added.

He added, “But you know (that) at the operational level, the Vice President is the one who handles everything. So, he’s the guy we should go and meet.”

Denying taking “appearance fees” and knowledge of the meeting between Adu Boahen and the supposed investor, the Vice President said he will not allow anyone to use his name for corrupt practices and called for the dismissal of Adu Boahen.

“I would like to state that if what the minister is alleged to have said is accurately captured in the video, then his position as a minister of state is untenable. He should be dismissed summarily and investigated.

“I am not aware of any such meeting held by Minister Adu Boahen or a supposed “appearance fee”. My most cherished asset in life is my integrity and I will not allow anyone to use my name to engage in corrupt activities.”

On the other hand, Adu Boahen indicated that the expose was a snare he survived back in 2018.

“There was an attempt to trap me in 2018”, he said adding, “substantively, I have not been involved in this act of which I am being accused”.

He also called for a full investigation into the allegation.

Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini