[ 2012-04-24 ]

Ms Lauretta Lamptey, CHRAJ Commissioner

CHRAJ Commissioner must quit GCB post now or...
The Commissioner for Human Rights and
Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Lauretta Vivian
Lamptey has come under intense pressure to resign
as a board member of the Ghana Commercial Bank, or
her position as Commissioner in the next 24
hours.

She has the courts to contend with if she stays
on, according to advocacy group, the Centre for
National Affairs.

Ms Lamptey holds two positions, contrary to
Article 222 of the 1992 Constitution which
prohibits a commissioner of CHRAJ from occupying
any other public office.

However, the Commissioner says she sees nothing
wrong with her holding the two positions.

She told Joy FM in an interview that despite being
a board member of GCB, her focus, and priority is
on her duty as a commissioner, adding that she has
relinquished some duties she performs as a board
member.

But the Centre for National Affairs is challenging
the CHRAJ boss, insisting she had violated the
constitution and the act establishing the
commission.

The group has held talks with the CHRAJ boss
urging her to resign her position or face a court
action.

Senior Policy Analyst at the Centre for National
Affairs, Rocky Obeng in an interview with Joy News
reiterated that not only does the dual role held
by Ms Lamptey violate Article 222 of the
constitution, but equally violates Act 456 which
established CHRAJ.

Ms Lamptey however maintains that her position on
the GCB board does not amount to holding a public
office since she is representing the interests of
the Social Security and National Insurance Trust
(SSNIT) on the board, a claim the advocacy group
was quick to condemn.

According to the group, the commissioner has asked
to be allowed to tender her resignation as a board
member of GCB at the next stakeholders meeting, a
decision the group says it will not agree.

According to the group, Article 222 states
unequivocally that the Commissioner must not hold
any other public office and that after violating
the constitution, Ms Lamptey must not be allowed
to state her own terms of resignation from the
board of GCB.

According to the advocacy group, in proceeding to
court they will have to review their charge sheet
and include the President and the Council of State
whose actions have led to Ms Lamptey violating the
constitution.

According to Rocky Obeng, they will compel the
President who in consultation with the Council of
State appointed the Commissioner to ensure that
the right thing is done within the shortest time
possible.

Ms Lauretta Lamptey was sworn in as Commissioner
barely a year ago to replace Anna Bossman who
resigned voluntarily. Ms Lamptey is an investment
banker and a specialist in African capital markets
and corporate finance.

Source - MyjoyOnline

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