The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has acknowledged receipt of a petition to investigate alleged conflict of interest in the planned sale of Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) hotel assets.
In a letter dated May 20, 2024, CHRAJ’s Principal Registrar Daniel Afetsi said “the Commission will revert to you in due course” in response to North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa’s petition.
Mr. Ablakwa had asked CHRAJ to “launch a full-scale, impartial investigation into the imminent prospective sale to Hon. Bryan Acheampong of 60% shares of hotels within SSNIT’s investment portfolio which raise fundamental concerns bothering on conflict of interest and abuse of power.”
According to documents attached to the petition, Minister of Agriculture Bryan Acheampong is the sole owner and director of Rock City Hotels, the proposed buyer of 60% stakes in six SSNIT hotels including La Palm Beach, Elmina Beach and Ridge Royal.
As someone with ownership and directorship roles in Rock City, Mr. Ablakwa argued the involvement of Hon.
Acheampong in purchasing state assets “was deliberately skewed, and due process violently flouted to favour an incumbent Minister of State.”
The petition also cited a March 27 SSNIT letter giving 45 days for bids, well after the deadline for Ministers to relinquish private interests according to the Constitution.
Meanwhile, SSNIT has also promised to cooperate fully throughout the investigation period, insisting they never erred in their process.
This post was originally published on 3rd party site mentioned in the title of this site
