Martin Amidu is a Ghanaian politician who has been active in the country’s political scene for a very long time having contested to become the vice president in 2000. Since then, the lawyer has come to hold several positions including that of the Attorney General and Minister for Justice as well as that of the Minister for Interior.
Fascinating Facts About Martin Amidu
1. Who is Martin Amidu?
Martin Amidu whose real name is Martin Alamisi Burnes Kaiser Amidu is a prominent Ghanaian politician, activist, and lawyer who was born in 1952. Martin Amidu gained fame for being the former minister of interior in 2010 and serving as the Ghanaian Attorney General of Ghana between 2011 to 2012. Meanwhile, he has hitherto been very active in Ghanaian politics since 2000.
2. He hated school while he was a child
Growing up in Bawku within the streets of Daburi in Ghana, and coming from quite a humble background, young Martin Amidu hated going to school from his early childhood. It was found that he was always very lazy to wake up every morning and go to school like his peers. He would always protest about going to school, to the point that even when he was taken to school he often cried to go back home.
Despite that, he later adapted to the situation and ended up becoming a very good student who loves to read very hard, and today is one of the best brains in the country.
3. He is an alumnus of three different institutions
The political heavyweight has equipped himself with much sound education. He first attended the prestigious University of Ghana where he studied law, he would later graduate in 1976 with an LLB degree honors.
After his first degree, he proceeded to the Ghana School of Law and graduated in 1978, bagging a Barrister of law degree. He then advanced to Antioch University, Ohio where he obtained a Masters of Arts Degree in Conflict Management.
4. He became the First Special Prosecutor of the country
Amidu has gotten his name imprinted in the Ghanaian history pages, as he became the First ever Special Prosecutor. This came after the creation of the office of the special prosecutor by the current Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo in 2018, in which Amidu was appointed to oversee the affairs of the commission.
His appointment commenced on the 23rd of February, 2018. Again Amidu was credited for introducing the word gargantuan, into the Ghanaian political terrain.
5. He resigned due to the interference of the president
It was shocking news for many of his followers and well-meaning Ghanaians when the principled politician announced his resignation from the position of the Special Prosecutor of the Country on the 16 of November 2020. This is because he had been able to curb high-profile corruption in the polity.
Nonetheless, according to Amidu, his resignation was a result of presidential interference with his work which obviously has been affecting his genuine fight against corrupt officials, as well as his moral principles.
6. He was once the running mate of presidential aspirant John Mills
It is safe to say that the political career of the veteran politician, and attorney started back in the year 2000. This was when he got the chance to become the running mate of the then-presidential aspirant John Mills during the December 2000 presidential elections.
However, they both ran out of luck as they suffered defeat by their core opponent John Kufuor, who later won the election and emerged as the President at that time.
7. He was once minister for interior
The political big wig was appointed as the Minister for interior in January 2010. This came at the heels of the former President John Mill’s cabinet restructuring, which got the former Minister Cletus Avoka out of office, while Amidu steps in as the new Minister for Interior then.
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8. He became the Attorney General
Again, Amidu became the 21st Attorney General, and Minister of Justice, in January 2011, still under the former President Mill’s administration. This played out a sequel to the second major cabinet reshuffle conducted by the former President. Amidu’s predecessor was the former Attorney General Betty Mould-Iddrisu.
9. He was later sacked as the Attorney General
After serving as the Attorney General of Ghana for a year, Amidu was ousted out of office, on January 19th, 2012 by the President, despite their closeness.
According to John Evans Atta Mills’ aids, he was sacked due to what was described as his misdemeanors at an earlier meeting held at the Osu Castle on January 18th, 2012 which was hosted by the president himself.
It was said that what infuriated the President was the allegations of financial misappropriation, leveled against another cabinet minister by Amidu.
Amidu was then succeeded by Benjamin Kunbuor as the new Attorney General and Minister of Justice in 2012.
10. What is the Net Worth of Martin Amidu?
It is true that the veteran politician and lawyer is among the richest attorneys in Ghana. This is not surprising owing to the fact that Amidu has held the topmost judicial position in the country as the former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, in addition to his several other key political appointments.
To this end, the net worth of Martin Amidu is currently under review, as the politician has always been very secretive about his personal income.
