Sack EOCO boss for “absurd” suspension of E/R head – CPP

The suspension of the Eastern Regional Director of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), Fred Dzeny, is illogical and absurd, the Convention People’s Party (CPP), has said...

The suspension of the Eastern Regional Director of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), Fred Dzeny, is illogical and absurd, the Convention People’s Party (CPP), has said.

Mr Dzeny was suspended for asking President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to prosecute his own appointees as part of efforts to fight corruption.

He said in a recent interview with journalists that: “The ruling government should be ready first and foremost to prosecute their own when the slightest incident of corruption is raised against the ruling government then they can also get the guts to prosecute the opposition.”

“When you look at the corruption cases in Ghana, it is not just politicians who are corrupt, the public servants, civil servants, they are all corrupt. When you look at it, it is the Chief Directors who prepare contract documents and other things, so, if we are blaming the politicians, it is not right, it is the public servants generally.”

But the CPP, in a statement signed by James Kwabena Bomfeh Jnr., Acting General Secretary, said: “We find it quite absurd and illogical that an organisation whose mandate is to fight corruption in our public life would be offended by frank commentary on the subject by one of its senior officers. Worse is the description of the bold and courageous conduct of the director as unethical and unprofessional. We would like to know what constitute ethics and professional standards in the books of the EOCO.”

Read the CPP’s full statement below:

STATEMENT BY THE CONVENTION PEOPLE'S PARTY ON THE SUSPENSION OF THE EASTERN REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF THE ECONOMIC AND ORGANISED CRIME OFFICE.

The Convention People's Party, CPP is in possession of a letter signed by the Executive Director of the Economic and Organised Crime Office, EOCO, ACP K.K Amoah (Rtd.) suspending the organisation's Eastern Regional Director, Fred Dzeny.

The statement dated November 5, 2018 is said to be a reaction to a publication on ghanaweb titled "Prosecute your corrupt officials first – EOCO to government". The statement after dissociating the organisation from what it describes as the personal comments of the regional director called them unethical and unprofessional by their standards.

We find it quite absurd and illogical that an organisation whose mandate is to fight corruption in our public life would be offended by frank commentary on the subject by one of its senior officers. Worse is the description of the bold and courageous conduct of the director as unethical and unprofessional. We would like to know what constitute ethics and professional standards in the books of the EOCO.

We are even more appalled by the cowardly and reactionary behaviour of the Executive Director and call for his resignation with immediate effect. But before he leaves, he should recall the regional director to duty.

Ghana cannot be built on the principle of such high corruption. We need men and women of honour, principle, integrity and above all the courage to speak to power.

We can understand ACP Amoah's desperate reaction to satisfy his employers in his retirement age. But we cannot take his decision to ditch the call to uphold high national standards. It is his conduct that is in breach of national ethics and the call to duty. Both our national anthem and pledge have recurrent lines enjoining us to call evil by its name and damn the consequence. We are invited to eschew the evils that wreck nation among which corruption is key.

We call on the President to fire ACP Amoah if he fails to do the honourable by resigning. Fighting corruption under our present constitutional dispensation is not for the timid and timorous souls. We need officers who can frankly and boldly exhibit the bravery of the regional director.

God bless our homeland Ghana and make our nation great and strong. May we be bold to defend forever the cause of freedom and of right.

Source: Ghana/ClassFMonline.com/91.3FM