{"id":48990,"date":"2014-09-18T14:48:52","date_gmt":"2014-09-18T14:48:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/4cd.e16.myftpupload.com\/?p=48990"},"modified":"2014-09-18T15:06:53","modified_gmt":"2014-09-18T15:06:53","slug":"audit-chrajs-finances-isodec","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=48990","title":{"rendered":"Audit CHRAJ\u2019s finances – ISODEC"},"content":{"rendered":"

Integrated Social Development Centre<\/span>\u00a0(<\/span>ISODEC<\/span>) is urging an audit into the financial affairs of the\u00a0<\/span>Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).<\/span><\/p>\n

Intense pressure is mounting on \u00a0Ms\u00a0Lauretta Lamptey\u00a0to resign following accusations of financial misappropriation and incompetence.<\/p>\n

She is reported to have spent thousands of dollars on a rented apartment and hotel bills<\/strong><\/span><\/a> using the Commission\u2019s limited resources after supposedly ordering an expensive renovation and redesign of her official residence.<\/p>\n

She has also been accused of failing to effectively discharge her duties<\/strong> <\/span><\/a>by investigating and prosecuting corrupt public officials who have been implicated in some major corruption scandals reported in recent times.<\/p>\n

Although Ms Lamptey has denied ordering the renovation of her official residence, she admitted renting the expensive apartment<\/strong> <\/span><\/a>at the AU village and sleeping at a hotel after her tenancy expired at the expense of the state.<\/p>\n

Responding to some of the criticisms she\u00a0explained<\/strong><\/span><\/a>\u00a0that the Commission\u2019s failure to investigate major corruption scandals saying, 95% of CHRAJ\u2019s mandate is to tackle human rights issues while the remaining 5% is related to corruption.<\/p>\n

[contextly_sidebar id=”bwQbHiOp4vfcoDxYAiXZDfBWqwSZAYF2″]ISODEC\u2019s Campaign Coordinator, Dr Steve Manteaw told Citi News<\/strong> that the financial audit will help establish whether or not, value for money considerations were made before spending all that money on accommodation.<\/p>\n

According to him, Ms Lampety\u2019s continuous stay in office as Commissioner of CHRAJ would be illegal if the accusations made against her are true.<\/p>\n

He said: \u201cIf what indeed they reported is true, then she has to do the honourable thing by resigning because she has not served as a good example.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Dr. Manteaw was of the opinion that waging a campaign for her removal is not the solution but \u201cI think what is important at this point is to establish whether or not the allegations as reported in the media are founded and based on the fact.\u201d<\/p>\n

Policy think tank IMANI Ghana is also urging all institutions and groups calling for the removal of the CHRAJ Commissioner to collaborate to ensure she is removed from post.<\/p>\n

He expressed the hope that \u201cthe good conscience of the President and indeed, whoever appointed her would also be brought to bear on this matter.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, an NDC group, the United Cadre Front has also joined calls for Ms Lamptey to resign.<\/p>\n

A leading member of the group, Camillus Maalneriba-Tia Sakzeesi stated that she has no moral rights to continue staying in office.<\/p>\n

He remarked that CHRAJ is a \u201cresponsible institution that bothers on anti-corruption and so if you have a whole boss who presides over that entity having allowed this quantum of money to be spent on rent alone; we see it as rather unfortunate.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t see the reason why she should be kept there and if the government will not remove her, she should be that magnanimous enough to resign from her position,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

By: Efua Idan Osam\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana
\nFollow @osamidan<\/a>
\n