Public officials of a former government will now be required to leave their public residences within 3 months of leaving office.
The Presidential Transition Amendment bill, which is expected to be passed by parliament, will give the Administrator General, legal powers to evict individuals who fail to vacate public residences by a 3-month deadline.
According to Deputy Minority Spokesperson on Legal and Constitutional Affairs and MP for Offinso South, Ben Abdallah, the Administrator General will be the person solely responsible for ensuring officials vacate before the prescribed time.
“The Act does not give anybody the power to take possible legal steps to evict persons who continue to occupy public residences irrespective of the expiration of the 3-month period. The Administrator General is being given the capacity to do that.” he said.
Mr Ben Abdallah explained to Citi News’ Duke Mensah Opoku, the powers that the amendment bill gives to the Administrator General to enable them the power to carry out the role.
“Firstly, he is in charge of the estate of the public. Secondly, he has the power to evict anybody who continues to occupy official residences despite the expiration of the 3 months” he said.
Failure of state officials to leave their public residences years after leaving office has characterized most of the country’s transitions.
The bill will aim to correct most of the defects associated with the county’s current transitional arrangement particularly streamlining the activities during the transitional period between the elections and the swearing in ceremonies.
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By: Kwabena Agyare/citifmonline.com/Ghana