CHRAJ boss has done nothing wrong - Amoako Baah

Political Science lecturer, Amoako Baah, has called for an end to what he calls the "noise” surrounding the use of $148,500 on rent by Commissioner of CHRAJ, Ms Lauretta Vivian Lamptey.

Dr Amoako Baah said although the CHRAJ Commissioner should have been sensitive considering the cost of her rent “because that is what is expected of her office”, she has not stolen any money.

“It is that she rented a place that is too expensive that's all”, the lecturer said on Joy FM's Newsnite Wednesday.

The head of CHRAJ came under the media scrutiny after it emerged she was paying what many say is too much for accommodation – an equivalent of $5,500 monthly rent.

Some of the Commission's staff say Ms. Lamptey could have gotten a less expensive place to live in while her 10-year old official residence located on the Patrice Lumumba road, is being renovated.

While the CHRAJ Commissioner is paying $456 daily in hotel because she claims after leaving her AU Village luxury apartment, her official residence is being renovated at the cost of GH¢182,000. The renovation has been ongoing for close to three years.

But Amoako Baah insists Ms Lamptey's only fault is that the cost of her accommodation was expensive.

“People are stealing millions we don't talk about it. We are paying millions to infosolutions [an IT firm] what has happened to it. Why are we making so much noise about this one?” Dr Baah asked.

Member of Parliament for Abuakwa South in the Eastern Region Samuel Atta Akyea says government should be blamed for what he calls the lavish spending of Ms Lampety on her accommodation.

Samuel Atta Akyea who is also a legal practitioner told Joy News' Elton John Brobbey, government's failure to do due diligence on the CHRAJ boss' social and economic status before appointing her is responsible for the current situation.

“If you are appointing somebody, what is necessary and functional for the person to fit into that role should be there”, he said.

Solution
Dr Amoako Baah said in light of government's recurrent difficulty with providing decent accommodation for public office holders, a solution to the problem would be to give money to the officials for rent.

“Government should provide enough for them to get their own accommodation. That's how it should be,” he said.

He said the arrangement where government is spending money on accommodation for public officials has been the reason for many allegations of excessive rent charges.

Listent to attached audio for more;
 
  Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | George Nyavor | [email protected]