Frimpong-Boateng report: CHRAJ considers public hearing

• Posted on April 27, 2023April 27, 2023
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), is considering a public hearing on a petition to investigate a report on illegal mining otherwise known as “Galamsey” authored by the chairperson of the erstwhile Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM).

This will follow assessment by the Commission as whether there is the need to act on the petition.

The Member of Parliament (MP) for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor petitioned CHRAJ to investigate allegations contained in a report issued by the former Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovations (MESTI), Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng in his capacity as the Chairman of the mining committee.

He is asking CHRAJ to investigate violations of fundamental human rights, alleged corrupt practices, issues of conflict of interest and abuse of public office by the named public officials and others cited in the report of Prof. Frimpong-Boateng.

The petitioner further wants CHRAJ to investigate allegations of corruption, conflict of interest and abuse office made by Charles Bissue, the former secretary of the IMCIM, against Prof. Frimpong-Boateng, the former chairman of the IMCIM, in respect of matters involving some 500 excavators that supposedly went missing around February 2020.

“We would give it the deserved attention that this particular ‘galamsey’ report which has bedevilled the public space, deserves,” Mr. Whitthal, CHRAJ chairman said on Accra-based Joy FM.

According to him, although the Commission has received and is studying the report, they have to determine whether the allegations trigger the mandate of CHRAJ.

“We can undertake a panel hearing. We can do that and that’s in the interest of the complainant.

“But the point is that you can’t do a panel hearing of all aspects of the investigation. We can do a panel hearing of persons who can come and be interviewed publicly and we can always invite the media to cover,” Commissioner of CHRAJ, Joseph Whittal said on TV3 Tuesday, April 25, 2023.

This comes after the Commission accepted on Tuesday to probe the report.

Gabby Asare Otchere- Darko, a private legal practitioner, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Minister of Information, Lord Commey, Director of Operations at the Presidency, and Charles Bissue were some of the persons named by Prof. Frimpong-Boateng as complicit in illegal mining.

They have since denied any involvement in the illegal act.

By Vincent Kubi