The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has stated that it will assess the complaint filed by Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, Member of Parliament for South Dayi, for an investigation into the galamsey report authored by Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng.
The Chairman of the now-defunct Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining accused government officials of colluding in the war against galamsey.
Despite the fact that the report has been dismissed by the Presidency, Dafeamekpor has asked CHRAJ to investigate the issue.
CHRAJ Commissioner, Joseph Whittal, speaking to Citi News said various procedures will be initiated before a full-scale inquiry begins.
“The procedures of the Commission require that take we make an assessment of the complaints. It is not every complaint that is filed actually meets the standards expected of a complaint that can be admitted for investigation. So, we will do the assessment, determine which of the mandates, if any, has been evoked by the petition, after which if there are any further and better particulars in terms of clarification of documents, we will ask for that from the lawyers of the complainant.”
The lawmaker has called for a public hearing as the CHRAJ launches its probe into unlawful mining activities in the country.
In a 37-page paper, the former Minister of Science, Environment, Technology, and Innovation, who also served as Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining, accused important political actors in the government of contributing to the poisoning of significant water bodies.
Nii Kpakpo Samoa Addo, the MP’s lawyer, told journalists after presenting the petition that he believes the committee would conduct a thorough job.
“We will be importing water very soon, just as you have shown interest in the filing of the petition, please follow up the process and ask questions. Come here every day and ask where we are with the petition so that it will not look like we are the only ones interested. We will be issuing our letters to check up on it every week to find out what is happening.
He added “I have been given utmost assurance that this matter is being taken seriously, so l leave the rest to the commission. I want to give them the benefit of the doubt that they will do an excellent job. They have done so in the past. In the darkest moments, CHRAJ has stood up to the matters of corruption and public interests. It is an existential matter, your right to have water is a right to life issue. I pray that all of us will make sure that this matter is thoroughly investigated”.
Other stakeholders are also calling for an independent probe into the allegations.
The post We’ll assess Dafeamekpor’s galamsey petition before probe begins – CHRAJ appeared first on Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana.
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