New CHRAJ Commissioner advocates establishment of advisory body

Accra, Aug 26, GNA - Ms Lauretta Vivian Lamptey, the new Commissioner of the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), has proposed the establishment of an advisory body, to be made up of former Commissioners and professionals of the CHRAJ, to assist the Commission to fulfil its mandate.

She said it was significant for the Commission to seek the support of these experienced and distinguished personalities in the discharge of it duties.

Ms Lamptey said these when she made a courtesy call on Justice Emile Francis Short, a former Commissioner of CHRAJ, at his Regimanuel Gray Residence in Accra on Wednesday.

The new CHRAJ Commissioner said it was important for the body to have diverse professionals to facilitate its work, citing that the Commission in South Africa has a psychologist to handle psychological aspects of cases brought to it.

Ms Lamptey said the Commission had done much in the fight against corruption but since the problem was attitudinal in the country, there was the need to intensify public education on the effects of corruption on development.

She called on staff of the CHRAJ to exhibit integrity since their work involved investigation of corruption cases. Justice Short called for the provision of more resources for the Commission to enable it to discharge its responsibility effectively and efficiently.

He said over the years the Commission had received support from the Danish Development Agency.

Justice Short asked the new Commissioner to build good working relationship with the media since they play a great role in propagating activities of the Commission.

Justice Short noted that the CHRAJ faced the challenge of effective supervision and monitoring of activities of staff of the Commission at the grass roots.

He said: 93CHRAJ is not only a human rights commission but also an anti-corruption institution as well", and called on the people to support the Commission to realise its mandate.

Justice Short said after his retirement, he had been training newly appointed Commissioners across the African continent. He expressed that hope that the Government would expedite action on th= e appointment of deputy Commissioner so that the CHRAJ would have a full complement of staff.

Justice Short went on voluntary retirement as Commissioner of the CHRA= J in November last year, after serving in that capacity for 17 years.