Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, the Member of Parliament (MP) for South Dayi Constituency, has asked the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to look into the allegations made by Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, the former Minister of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, in his report on illegal small-scale mining, or galamsey, in Ghana.
The petition was submitted on behalf of the MP by Attorney Nii Kpakpo Samoa Addo of Addo & Addo Legal Attorneys.
According to the petition, various constitutional violations by those in public office were noted in the study by Prof. Frimpong-Boateng and required further investigation.
“We have our client’s instruction to formally petition your high office in accordance with Article 218(a), (c) and (e) of the 1992 Constitution and section 7(1)(a) and (e) of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice Act 1993 (Act 456), to investigate violations of fundamental human rights, alleged corrupt practices, issues of conflict of interest and abuse of public office by certain public officials and other named individuals cited in the Report of the Work of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), authored by Prof Frimpong-Boateng.
“The report of the IMCIM dated 19th March 2021, and confirmed to have been authored by Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, cites various public officials and other individuals” such as Mr. Charles Owusu, Joseph Albert Quarm, the former MP for Manso Nkwanta, Laud Commey, Director of Operation at the Office of the President, and two presidential staffers Charles Nii Teiko and Frank Aseidu Bekoe (Protozoa).
In parts of the petition, the petitioner claimed that “The IMCIM Report is replete with grave allegations of corruption, conflict of interest, and abuse of office which falls within your mandate per Article 218(a) and (e) of the 1992 Constitution and section 7(1)(a) and (e) of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice Act 1993 (Act 456).”
In addition, the petitions demanded that Prof. Frimpong-Boateng’s alleged involvement in corruption be looked into.
“We have our client’s further instruction to also petition your office in respect of allegations of corruption, conflict of interest and abuse of office made by Charles Bissue, the former secretary of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining, against Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, former chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), in respect of matters involving the 500 Excavators that were supposedly missing around February 2020.”
Read the full petition below:
Source: Ghanatodayonline.com