CHRAJ to establish unit to deal with oil and gas corruption

Accra, Dec. 6, GNA - Beginning 2011, the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) would establish an oil and gas Unit to train investigators and lawyers to deal with human rights abuses, corruption and injustices in the industry.

Mr Richard Quayson, Deputy Commissioner of CHRAJ, announced on Monday at a forum organized by the Commission to formally launch the 2010 Human Rights and Integrity Week Celebration in Accra. The week-long celebration seeks to provide the platform to promote and protect fundamental human rights and freedom in Ghana. Mr Quayson said the Commission serves as a vanguard for human rights, explaining, "CHRAJ uses the media, workshops, seminar and conferences to create awareness on respect for human rights.

"We investigate complaints of violations of fundamental human rights and freedoms and provide redress, using various methods including mediation, negotiation and formal investigation or hearing." Mr Quayson said CHRAJ would, next year, restructure and strengthen itself to reflect the core mandates of the Commission, which include Human Rights, Administrative Justice and Anti-Corruption. Other projects the Commission has earmarked for 2011 include, facilitating the development and implementation of a National Human Rights Action Plan to ensure a comprehensive and systematic promotion and protection of human rights in Ghana.

Others are the development and implementations of a National Anti-Corruption Action Plan to assist Ghana systematically fight corruption and reduce opportunities for corruption. The Commission is also expected to promote and enhance national integrity through the National Integrity Programme. It would set up Ethics Desks and an Ethics Advisory Committee in all the Municipal Districts and Assemblies, train ethics officers and members of the ethics advisory committees and implement the code of ethics for public officers as well as the Code of Conduct and Ethics Bill when passed into law.