<<Print>>

Nominee for the Office of the Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu, has told Parliament’s Appointments Committee that although he has been called to receive awards for his activism against corruption and contribution to public service, he has always rejected such awards because for him, he joined government only to serve.

His response follows a question asked by the Wa West Member of Parliament, Joseph Yieleh Chireh, who wanted to know why the honours and awards space on his Curriculum Vitae, had nothing written to show for it.

“You know that since March 1983, when You [Joseph Yieleh  Chireh ] became my colleague, ours was to dedicate ourselves to the service of this nation without making any effort for recognition, because we joined the system not for awards but for what we can do for the people. If I am right, you and I have lived that life and continue to live that life, that is why there are no awards, I never lobbied for it,” he said. 

He also noted that, he generally rejects awards because he wants his work to be about national interest, and will prefer if people emulate him rather than offering him awards.

“It is not about Martin Amidu; it is about Ghana, emulate what I am doing, don’t give me awards, it is about emulating what I am doing so that Ghana will be better,” he said.

He mentioned how he rejected a nomination by the organizers of EMI Awards, and also an award by the Ghana Bar Association.

Mr. Martin Alamisi Amidu was nominated as the Special Prosecutor on January 11, 2018.

Mr. Amidu, a man who has earned the nickname ‘Citizen Vigilante’ for his no-nonsense stance and campaign against corruption particularly in the NDC administration, was generally approved by Ghanaians.

I’ve nothing to lose at my vetting – Martin Amidu

Before the vetting, Martin Amidu, whose role is to deal with public sector corruption, said he was confident he would win a national poll if the president had put him out to be voted on by Ghanaians whether to be accepted or rejected.

“One thing I know from the outpouring of support for the President’s nomination of my humble self as the Special Public Prosecutor is that if the President’s wishes were put to a national referendum, all the 275 constituencies of the country will return an overwhelmingly positive endorsement for his choice.”

He however stressed that, he had nothing to win or lose whatever the results of the vetting would be.