Parliament advised to hasten slowly in CHRAJ probe

Attempts by Parliament to look into allegations of financial impropriety against the Head of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Ms Lauretta Vivian Lamptey, has been criticized as a hasty intervention.

Veteran journalist Abdul Malik Kweku Baako, former chair of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee of the opposition New Patriotic Party Nii Ayikoi Otoo and Minister for Roads and Highways, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini were in agreement that Parliament and all its committees must bid their time while the Auditor-General looks into the matter.

Parliament has been itching to have a bite at an ongoing controversy involving the Commissioner after it emerged in the 2012 Auditor-General's report, her rent at the plush AU village has  cost the state $148,500 and a further GH¢182,000 in ongoing renovations  at  her official residence at Patrice Lumumba road in Accra.

The renovation is yet to be complete after three years.

MP for Nsawam Adoagyiri, Frank Annor Dompreh,  has petitioned President John Mahama to relieve Ms Lamptey of her duties as head of CHRAJ.

MP for Nsawam Adoagyiri, Frank Annor Dompreh
Frank Annor Dompreh who is also a Member of Parliament's Special Budget Committee, is leading a campaign to probe the CHRAJ Commissioner.

Parliament's Public Accounts Committee is also gearing up to haul the Commissioner before it.

At the same time, the Auditor-General who first investigated the Commissioner's use of public funds, has decided to conduct a special audit into the issue

But the three panelists on Joy FM's Saturday news analysis programme, Newsfile are urging Parliament to be patient.

Newsfile panelist: L: Kweku Baako Jnr,
Ayikoi Otoo explained Parliament was narrowing its attention on the 2012 Auditor-General report only to focus on a portion of the report that relates to the CHRAJ Commissioner's allegations of impropriety.

He noted that the work of the Auditor-General's report would eventually end up in Parliament for further interrogation.

“It is coming to you. Let's take our time and do things properly”, he said.

Editor-In-Chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper Kweku Baako observed that there is going to "be a certain duplication between what parliament is going to do and what the Auditor-General has decided to do with the special report which will be presented to parliament anyway”.

The journalist believes “what parliament is seeking to do now will not be something different from what is being done by PAC”.

Alhaji Inusah Fuseini who is also MP for Tamale Central said despite the serious nature of the matter, he was worried that an MP has “fired a petition to the President” when the Auditor-General's report lies unattended to in Parliament which is on recess.

“We appear to be doing things in a way that is not coordinated and it appears to be confusing the issue”, the MP pointed out. Story by Ghana|Myjoyonline|Edwin Appiah|[email protected]