Naagyei 90.3 Fm Agyapa
The dismissed Chief Executive Officer of the Public Procurement Authority (PPA), Adjenim Boateng Adjei, has sued the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) praying the courts to strike out CHRAJ’s findings which formed the basis of his dismissal.
In a suit filed at an Accra High Court on November 27, the embattled CEO accused CHRAJ of breaching the principle of natural justice claiming he was treated unfairly in the ‘Contract for Sale’ investigations.
“By denying me the opportunity to access, respond and cross-examine statements, witnesses and evidence that the respondents relied on to arrive at their decision, the [CHRAJ] acted in breach of natural justice and failed to give me a fair hearing. If given the chance to access, respond and cross-examine the various documents, witnesses and evidence relied on by [CHRAJ] in their report, I would,” he added.
Mr. Adjei thus wants the High Court to quash CHRAJ’s report and expunge it from the records.
He is also pleading with the courts to nullify the decision by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo that led to his dismissal based on the request by CHRAJ.
Background
President Akufo-Addo terminated the appointment of Mr Adjenim Boateng Adjei as Chief Executive Officer of the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) in October.
He was also disqualified from holding public office for the next five years.
This follows a report submitted to the President by the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) which concluded that “on the totality of the evidence, Mr. Adjenim Boateng Adjei had put himself in a position where his personal interests conflicted with the performance of his functions as CEO and Board Member of the PPA.”
It also stated that he abused his high office of trust.
It will be recalled that on 22nd August 2019, President Akufo-Addo suspended Mr. Adjenim Boateng Adjei from office, following the broadcast of allegations made against him in an investigative documentary conducted by Manasseh Azure Awuni, titled “Contracts for Sale”.
In the documentary, Manasseh Azure Awuni revealed that a company Mr. Adjenim Boateng co-owned, had sold government contracts it won through single-source and restrictive tendering to the highest bidder.
In suspending him, President Nana Akufo-Addo also directed CHRAJ and the Office of the Special Prosecutor to investigate his appointee for conflict of interest and corruption.
