The newly appointed Commissioner for the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Joseph Whittal, has downplayed assertions that his appointment by President John Mahama amounts to an abuse of power.
President John Mahama swore in Mr. Whittal as the new CHRAJ Commissioner barely two weeks to his handing over of power to the newly-elected New Patriotic Party government.
The Commission had been without a substantive Commissioner for almost 12 months following the removal of the previous commissioner, Laurette Lamptey over allegations of corruption.
President Mahama also swore into office a new director for the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Josephine Nkrumah
Despite criticism that this swearing in was done in bad faith, Mr. Whittal retorted that “He [President Mahama] has the power as the President of the Republic of Ghana, until he exits, to appoint and this is state function. He has a performed a state function today [Tuesday].”
“I don’t see anything wrong with it. Why should anybody read anything into it, I don’t have a problem with the appointment as I think it is right, it is lawful and it is legal,” he added.
Mahama sued over appointment
But Lawyer Philip Addison believes the President erred as he has filed a lawsuit challenging the appointment of Mr. Whittal.
The lawsuit is seeking to restrain President Mahama from using his last 16 days to make the appointment.
Philip Addison
Speaking on Eyewitness News, Philip Addison condemned the President’s move, arguing that the spirit of the constitution does not allow the President to make these late appointments.
“Our position is that these appointments are clearly not in line with the letter and spirit of the constitution. The President has barely two weeks to go and he is purporting to make these major appointments to saddle an incoming government. We do not think that it is proper, we do not think that it is the proper exercise of the discretion given to him under the constitution.”
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