Adjenim Boateng Adjei, the suspended Chief Executive Officer of the Public Procurement Authority (PPA), has sent a letter to the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), opting for public hearing into allegation of conflict of interest levelled against him.
This is as a result of a documentary by freelance journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni, titled ‘Contracts For Sale,’ which was aired on Joy Prime TV on Wednesday August 21, 2019, and subsequently published by media houses across the country.
The president suspended Mr Adjei, following airing of documentary and subsequently wrote to CHRAJ to commence administrative enquiry and the Office of the Special Prosecutor for criminal investigations into allegations leveled against him and CHRAJ wrote to him for his comment.
A letter dated Tuesday, September 17, 2019, and signed by his lawyer, Yaw Oppong, to Commissioner of CHRAJ, stated: “Pursuant to provisions of Regulation 6 of Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, Investigations Procedure Regulations, 2010, Constitutional Instrument (C. I.) 67, our client hereby requests your outfit fo full and public hearing of complaint.
“The instant request has been rendered necessary by nature of complaint against our client, rather devastating harm, albeit unjustified, caused thereby, our client is confident he will be vindicated by proper and sound enquiry into merits of complaint against him.
“We are of humble opinion interests of justice will be better served by public hearing of complaint, rather than an in-camera hearing,” the letter concluded.
On September 5, 2019, solicitors for Mr Adjei, in a13-paged document, answer of respondent, indicated that “on account of above, we submit there is no evidence of any act or omission on part of our client supporting an allegation of having discharged his duties as public officer for benefit of company he has an interest in.
“Complainant has not demonstrated how our client’s personal interests interfered with performance of his duties and functions, documentary was carefully constructed to negatively taint diligent work and accomplishments by our client in service to nation as one of the most successful chief executives officers of Public Procurement Authority.
“Allegations in documentary against our client are simply anchored on assumptions and conjectures, betray gross unfamiliarity with laws on public procurement, same should be dismissed as unmeritorious,” the response concluded. -kasapafmonline.com
