Hannah Bissiw Dragged To CHRAJ

Forum for Public Accountability (FOPA), a public spirited group, has dragged Dr. Louisa Hanna Bissiw, Deputy Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing, to the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) over alleged corruption, abuse of power and office. Hannah Bissiw is being accused of acquiring properties since assuming office which are utterly inconsistent with and insupportable by her income as deputy minister. In a petition presented to CHRAJ, dated September 1, the group indicated that its objective was to ensure that public officials entrusted with state resources did not abuse same, as well as influence accruing from their offices for personal gain. This, the group spelt out, was in line with Article 218 of the 1992 Constitution and Section 7 (1) of Commission of Human Rights Act, 1993 (Act 456), adding that �it is against this background that we humbly present the instant complaint bordering on a suspicion of corruption, abuse of power and office by Dr. Hannah Bissiw, the Honorable Deputy Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing.� The petition was signed by Daniel Marfo Ofori-Atta, national convernor of FOPA, and Daily Guide has a copy in its possession. According to FOPA, the complaint of corruption and abuse of office was hinged on the acquisition of certain properties by the deputy minister since assuming public office and other massive projects undertaken by her, which her income could not support. Giving specific instances of allegations, the group indicated that Dr. Bissiw, within a short period, constructed a multi-billion twin mansion in her hometown of Techiman-tia in the Brong Ahafo Region. Upon an incessant probe by a section of the Ghanaian media and after a series of �inconsistent denials�, the embattled deputy minister alleged that she put up the mansion with a Government of Ghana loan. But FOPA argued that with the explanation offered by Dr. Bissiw, there were more questions that she should answer.