The Auditor-General, Daniel Yaw Domelevo, has urged President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to reconsider the directive to him to proceed on his accumulated leave.
In a letter to the Presidency, a copy of which the Ghanaian Times laid hands on, he argued that the directive breaches the labour law and frowns on the independence of the Auditor-General which was guaranteed by the constitution.
“My knowledge of recent labour law and practice is that no worker is deemed to have accumulated any leave on account of their having failed, omitted, neglected or even refused to enjoy their right to annual leave, which the law guarantees for their benefit, not the employer.
“I urge that you reconsider the directive in order to protect the sanctity of the labour law, the constitution and the independence of the Auditor-General which is of utmost importance in so far as ensuring that the constitutional principles of probity, transparency and accountability are concerned,” he stated.
Mr Domelevo argued that the directive for him to proceed on his annual leave was because his work was embarrassing the government.
“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 the Minister makes it clear that the Auditor-General’s work is embarrassing the government,” he stated.
He said the decision to direct him to take his leave when several appointees of the President have since 2017 not taken their annual leave enforces the notion that the decision was not taken in good faith.
“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 in good faith,” Mr Domelevo added.
He was also of the view that the directive was targeted at preventing the Auditor-General from inspecting documents or evidence of work done for the Senior Minister before going back to the Supreme Court with their written submission.
Mr Domelevo, however, said he obeyed the directive out of deference for the President and respect for the Office of the President.
President Akufo-Addo, in a statement signed by Eugene Arhin, Director of Communication at the Presidency, on June 29 this year, asked Auditor-General, to take his accumulated leave from July 1.
It said “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.
“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 was expected to hand over all matters relating to his office to the Deputy Auditor-General, Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu until his return.
BY TIMES REPORTER