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CHRAJ Commissioner must quit GCB post now or…

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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.

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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.