The Ashanti Regional Director of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Mercy Larbi, has been appointed by President as a Deputy Commissioner.Madam Larbi, a member of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) was sworn in at a short ceremony at the Jubilee House on Tuesday.President Akufo-Addo charged her to assist and work jointly with other Commissioners to get rid of corruption.

Prior to her appointment, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the North Tongu legislator called on the President to urgently fill the vacant Deputy Commissioner position by the end of this month.

He argued in a write up that considering the importance of the work of the Commissioner role, the vacancy “reflects poorly on the Akufo-Addo administration which promised to strengthen anti-graft institutions, particularly, the ombudsman in the fight against corruption.” 

The second executive position of the independent organisation which aims to safeguard human rights in the country has been left vacant since the CHRAJ scandal that got the previous occupant of the position, Lauretta Lamptey suspended. 

The ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee in Parliament said that if Akufo-Addo fails to fill the position, he is continuing the “flagrant dereliction of his legal obligations,” to the country.

Mr Ablakwa served notice that if the President fails to fill the vacancy by close of January 2020, “I shall explore every available constitutional avenue to compel him to abide by Act 456. Notice is humbly served.”