Political Scientist, Professor Ransford Gyampo has slammed President Akufo-Addo for forcing the former Auditor-General, Daniel Yaw Domelevo to proceed on leave.

The outspoken lecturer said the conduct of President Akufo-Addo meant he does not have much respect for good governance. 

He thus said the ruling by the Supreme Court faulting the President's action will strengthen the country’s democracy. 

“I think it’s a victory for democracy and victory for good governance, it’s good for all of us as a people. My little worry is that, I’m not a lawyer but all that I can say is that it was a straightforward matter, we all knew.”

“Even without reading the law, we knew that the President had no business acting the way he acted by ousting the former Auditor-General.”

"We drew his attention that what he did was illegal, it also shows that he didn’t have much respect for good governance, he ignored all of us and perpetuated this kind of thing,” he said in an interview with Citi FM on Wednesday, May 31. 

The Supreme Court in a unanimous decision on Wednesday described as unconstitutional the directive from the Presidency that asked Domelevo to proceed on leave.

The Court also described as unconstitutional, the President’s appointment of an Acting Auditor-General while there was a substantive Auditor-General.

The Presidency in July 2020 asked the then Auditor General to proceed on leave.

When Mr Domelevo pointed this out as unlawful, his leave was further extended from 123 days to 167 effective July 1, 2020.

Nine civil society groups sued the Attorney General over these directives.

They included the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Ghana Integrity Initiative, (GII), Citizen Movement Ghana, Africa Center for Energy Policy (ACEP), and Parliamentary Network Africa.

They contended that the directives were unlawful since the President did not have the power to exercise such disciplinary control over independent bodies.

The Court, however, opted not to issue any other orders including stopping Mr Domelevo from proceeding on leave since he has already retired.

The case was heard by Justices Nene Amegatcher, Prof Ashie Kotey, Mariama Owusu, Lovelace Johnson, Getrude Torkonoo, Prof Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu and Emmanuel Kulendi.