CHRAJ to be guided by constitution in procurement authority case
The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has said that it will be guided by constitutional provisions in handling conflict of interest allegations levelled against the suspended Public Procurement Authority (PPA) boss, Mr Adjenim Boateng Adjei.
CHRAJ has, as far back as 2006, fleshed out the fine details of the requirements of the Constitutional provision on conflict of interest in a booklet with the title: Code of Conduct for Public Officers of Ghana and Guidelines on conflict of interest, to assist public officials identify, manage and resolve conflict of interest issues.
Due process
The Commissioner of CHRAJ, Mr Joseph Whittal, emphasised the Commission's resolve to ensure due process in an interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday.
That was after a letter had been served on the embattled Mr Adjei, who also has the Special Prosecutor (SP) and the Auditor General investigating him on other aspects of corruption allegations.
Last week, a journalist, Mr Manasseh Awuni Azuri, aired his investigative documentary on the PPA boss and his company that they acquired government contracts and resold them for a percentage of the contract sum.
The President subsequently suspended Mr Adjei and referred the matter to CHRAJ and the SP.
Provisions
While Articles 284 to 288 of the 1993 Constitution generally deals with codes of conduct for public officials, Article 285 provides that: A public officer shall not put himself in a position where his personal interest conflicts or is likely to conflict with the performance of the functions of his office."
"When the Constitution gives a charge and it is general, the responsibility is on the agency under which the provisions are provided to bring out administrative guidelines and details of that particular provision.
"And that is what CHRAJ has done with the publication of the booklet," Mr Whittal said.
Conflict of interest
"Conflict of interest occurs when a public official attempts to promote or promotes a private or personal interest for himself or herself or for some other person, and the promotion of the private interest then results, is intended to result or appears to be or has the potential to result in an interference with the objective exercise of the person's duties or (ii) an improper benefit or an advantage by virtue of his or her position," the guidelines state.
The guidelines also provide pointers to public officials in identifying conflict of interest situations as well as a checklist on gifts and gratuities.
10 days
Commissioner Whittal said Mr Adjei would have to respond to their letter in 10 days, after which based on his responses, the next line of action would be taken.
"If he admits to the allegations, then we proceed to find out the extent to which he has faltered under the provisions.
If he denies, then a full scale investigation will be rolled out to get to the bottom of the allegations, " he added.