The Secretary to the Convention People’s Party (CPP) Youth League, Hardi Yakubu, has called on the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to balance expediency with diligence and speed, in its probe of the Mahama Ford gift saga.
Speaking to Citi News, the Secretary to the CPP youth wing, Hardi Yakubu, warned that undue delay could raise public suspicion over perceived inactivity from CHRAJ. “This expedition is not being seen by the public and that is why questions will begin to be raised as to why all this while we haven’t really heard anything from them [CHRAJ],” he said.
The Commission earlier stated that, though its investigations had reached advanced stages, Ghanaians should exercise patience to enable them adequately deal with the matter.
In response to the comments from CHRAJ, Mr. Yakubu said the Commission was “making the argument that because the matter is of importance, they need to take their time and do diligent work and we appreciate that.”
He however added that, CHRAJ needed to,”balance the two so that the need for more time to do proper work doesn’t necessarily compromise the expeditious discharge of the matter as appropriate.”
Background
President John Dramani Mahama came under intense public scrutiny for accepting the car gift worth about US$100,000 from a Burkinabe contractor, allegedly to influence him.
The Burkinabe, Djibril Kanazoe, has admitted giving President Mahama a Ford Expedition vehicle, for which the President called to thank him.
The gift, according to reports, was prior to an attempt by the contractor, to win a bid to execute the Dodo Pepeso-Nkwanta road construction project.
The same contractor had also been contracted to build a wall, at a cost of over half a million dollars, for the Ghana Embassy in Ouagadougou.
CPP, PPP petition CHRAJ
CHRAJ was petitioned by the youth wing of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP), and a private citizen to investigate the matter.
Critics are of the view that; the $100,000 dollar Ford vehicle gift presented to President Mahama in 2012, when he was Vice President, amounts to conflict of interest, and that he must be impeached since the contractor, Djibril Kanazoe, is also said to have been awarded some lucrative government contracts.
Speaker throws out minority motion
The Speaker of Parliament, Edward Doe Adjaho, last Thursday; threw out a motion filed by the Minority calling for parliamentary investigations into the matter.
The Speaker argued that, CHRAJ has the legal and constitutional mandate and the capacity to deal with the matter. CHRAJ as part of investigations, has already interrogated some high ranking government officials including former Interior Minister, Mark Woyongo.
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