The Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the Presidential order asking former Auditor-General Daniel Domelevo to go on leave was unlawful.
The President’s appointment of an Acting Auditor General when there was a substantive Auditor-General was likewise deemed unlawful by the court.
In July 2020, the Presidency requested that the current Auditor General take a leave of absence.
With effect from July 1, 2020, his leave was further increased from 123 days to 167 days when Mr. Domelevo pointed out that this was illegal.
The Attorney General was sued over these orders by nine civil society organizations.
The Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), Citizen Movement Ghana, Africa Center for Energy Policy (ACEP), and Parliamentary Network Africa were among them.
They argued that the directions were illegal since the President lacks the authority to impose such disciplinary measures on autonomous agencies.
However, since Mr. Domelevo has since retired, the Court decided against making any more orders, such as prohibiting him from taking leave.
Justices Nene Amegatcher, Prof. Ashie Kotey, Mariama Owusu, Lovelace Johnson, Getrude Torkonoo, Prof. Henrietta Mensah Bonsu, and Emmanuel Kulendi heard the case.
