Ousted Auditor-General, Daniel Domelevo, has said while in office, he was mindful of the food he ate, the water he drank and who he even spoke with because he felt he was operating in an enemy territory.

Mr Domelevo said this in reaction to a Supreme Court ruling declaring as "unconstitutional", the 167-day forced leave directive issued to him by President Nana Akufo-Addo, through which he was forced to exit office.

The apex court made the determination on Wednesday, 31 May 2023.

Reacting to the ruling, Mr Domelevo recalled in an interview on the citizen show on Accra100.5FM that while in office, he felt threatened and exiting, therefore, gave him respite.

He said while in office, “I was careful about what to eat, drink and who to talk to because I was operating in an enemy territory, the enemies were too much.”

He disclosed “My board chairman was the one representing Osafo-Maafo in court. Just imagine the Auditor General surcharges someone and his board chairman is coaching the accused in court and this board chairman will leave court and come sit in the office to take decisions.”

“So in my mind, I felt I was working in an enemy territory, so I was watchful of my food, drink, even in the office.

“I felt unhappy in office and was afraid I could make mistakes if care was not taken. Although the supreme court ruling has delayed but I feel leaving office game me respite,” he added.

It will be recalled that the Director of Communications at the presidency, Eugene Arhin, in a letter dated July 2020 directed Nr Domelevo, to proceed on annual leave.

This sparked widespread controversy and resistance from a cross section of Ghanaians and anti-graft campaigners who raised concerns over the erosion of institutional independence and the protection of constitutional rights.

The order for Mr Domelevo to proceed on leave came after the Senior Minister then, Yaw Osafo-Maafo and four other officials from the Ministry of Finance sued Mr. Domelevo to clear their names in relation to what was said to be breaches of the Public Procurement Act (PPA) that resulted in their payment of US$1 million to a private UK firm, Kroll and Associates.

Mr. Osafo- Maafo had said he was resorting to the courts because “the evidence available shows clearly that the Auditor-General erred in law and professional procedures in the exercise of his powers regarding his audit on payments to Kroll and Associates Limited.”