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General News of Friday, 6 November 2015

Source: Daily Guide

Pressure on Mahama to prosecute sacked CHRAJ Boss

File photo: Mahama with sacked CHRAJ Boss File photo: Mahama with sacked CHRAJ Boss

Pressure is mounting on President John Mahama to push the Attorney General to prosecute the sacked boss of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).

Madam Lauretta Vivian Lamptey has been removed from office after an investigative committee established a case of abuse of office against her. The committee following a petition submitted against Madam Lamptey concluded that the former CHRAJ boss was unfit to stay in office after she was alleged to have spent about GH¢182,000 to renovate her official residence.

The Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG) said it “is surprised at the decision of the president to only sack the CHRAJ boss after her lust for wasteful expenditure has weakened and incapacitated a state institution.”

The pressure group said it welcomes the decision but “considers this punitive decision as incomplete and an act unintended to deter the menace of corruption in the public sector. AFAG’s position is premised on the fundamental principle of public accountability and a fight against weakening of state institutions. Indeed, the 2012 Auditor General’s report advised her against “wasteful spending”.”

The statement added: “Mr. President we are aware of the evidence in an exhibit tendered during the hearings that, Lauretta Lamptey was accused of “general dereliction of duty”. Her colleague commissioners chastised her severely for improper conduct and described her as a total disgrace. We consider her actions therefore as inimical and against institutional development.

“Be it as it may, the immediate past chairman of the public accounts committee have accused you of not acting on all the reports submitted for the prosecution of public officers found culpable of weakening state institutions through wasteful spending and corruption.

“AFAG is worried about the politics of mass patronage and its consequent effect. Never in the economic history of this country have Ghanaians been impoverished than it is today. Under the leadership of the John Mahama administration, we are been made to believe that, wrong is right and wasteful expenditure is not fiscal indiscipline. Yet, we have sought refuge at the IMF, and the IMF is asking for fiscal discipline to adjust the budget. Hoping for a reduction of our high budget deficit due to “fiscal indiscipline” to probably a balanced budget if attainable.

“Mr. President don’t condone acts which have brought us on our knees to the IMF. People who have ensured wasteful expenditure of public resources should not be harbored. We urge you to hand over the CHRAJ boss for public prosecution. She is a classic example of person(s) who have contributed to weakening of state institution through abuse of office.”