Akufo-Addo Willfully Violates Constitution – Appoints 66year Old as Controller & Accountant General

President Akufo-Addo has once again demonstrated his disdainfor the laws of the country.The aL-hAJJ’spainstaking investigations have uncovered the president, deliberately overlooked the constitution of Ghana in the appointment of Mr Eugene Asante Ofosuhene as Controller and Accountant General.

Bent on getting many of his tribesmen, cronies and family into his already oversize government, MrAkufo-Addo, sources in government disclosed to TheaL-hAJJ, was persuaded to appoint an above-the-age retired Civil Servant as head of the nation’s exchequer even though he was “disqualified” from occupying that position.
Checks by this paper indicate that Mr.Ofosuhene, a former CEPS commissioner and one time deputy Controller at CAGD, was 66 years yesterday, October 17,2017, thus, making him ineligible for the post. The stipulated age permissible by law to remain in Ghana’s Civil Service is 65.

Peeved by the President’s flagrant disregard for laws of Ghana, a Labour Consultant (name withheld) speaking to The aL-hAJJ, explained that the appointment of MrOfosuhene violates article 199 of the 1992 constitution and section 71(1) of the Civil Service Act, 1993 (PNDCL 327).
Article 199 (1) and section 71(1) mandate persons who attain 60 years to retire from the Civil Service. However, article 199(2) and section 71(2) allow for the “appointment of a person who is more than sixty years of age on a limited engagement for two years at a time not exceeding the age of sixty five years.”
Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta, a cousin of the President, is alleged to have “persuaded” President AkufoAddo to confirm the appointment of the long-retired former Deputy Controller and Accountant General, Mr Eugene Asante Ofosuhene as head of government treasury on May 11 this year to replace a relatively young SeiduKotomah.
In the case of the newly appointed Controller and Accountant General, however, the astute Labour consultant explained that, “that fact that he was above 65 years before he got the job make his appointment unconstitutional.”
According to the expert, while the Civil Service Act permits the appointing authority to engage retired Civil Servants on contracts, the same law forbids the engagement of persons above 65 years…
“The law is such that when you are a civil servant and you turn 60, the appointing authority can only extend your stay in the Civil Service on limited engagement for two years at a time and not exceeding five years. What this means is that if you are a Civil Servant and you are 65 years, you cannot benefit from the limited engagement as stipulated by the law,” he explained.
But, a Finance Ministry source who sees nothing wrong with the appointment told this paper that, MrOfosuhene was appointed on contract in line with the Civil Service Act, “and this is done everywhere in world. The law allows a retired Civil Servant to be hired on contract.”
As at press time yesterday, some senior staff at CAGD told this paper that they are finalizinga petition they intend firing to the President to revoke MrOfosuhene’s appointment, failure of which they will advise themselves.