In response to a JoyNews investigation that identified him in an alleged conflict of interest issue, the Programmes Manager for the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) has requested that the President instruct the Deputy Sanitation Minister to continue on leave.
This is required, according to Mary Addah, who said as much on Monday's Joy FM Super Morning Show, to allow inquiries into the accusations made against Amidu Issahaku Chinnia.
"I think the president would have heard this by now, and he should be taking the necessary steps," she added. "He should ask this individual (the deputy sanitation minister) to continue on leave, stand away, and enable investigations to go on."
Her call comes in the wake of JoyNews' most recent documentary, Caught in Conflict, which exposed how an organisation connected to the deputy sanitation minister, Amidu Issahaku Chinnia, and registered in the names of his brother, cousin, and personal driver won government contracts at the Upper West Regional Coordinating Council while he was serving as deputy regional minister.
Amidu Issahaku Chinnia acknowledged knowing the Batuowiisi Company Limited directors when he was approached by JoyNews, but he vehemently denied having any influence over the procedures leading to the awarding of the contracts.
Mary Addah disagrees with his reaction and thinks an inquiry into the situation is necessary.
She pleaded with the President to either fire the Deputy Minister of Sanitation from office or submit him to the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) for a thorough inquiry into the allegations.
The President should at the very least dismiss this individual or report the matter to CHRAJ, which is the appropriate agency in this case, so that an inquiry may be conducted.
She stated, "He should also submit same to CHRAJ for full investigations, as he did in the public procurement boss' case, since aside from the fact that these contracts were purchased in violation of the Public Procurement Act, Act 663 section 22, I feel there are a lot more difficulties."