Ho, June 3, GNA - The Volta Regional Office of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has embarked on a drive to help public office holders overcome conflict of interest challenges that confront them in the discharge of their assignments. As part of the drive the Commission would organize series of workshops on conflict of interest and corruption for heads of decentralized Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the Region. It would also organize interactive sessions for personnel of certain public offices and sections of the public on how to confront corrupt practices.

Mr George Honuvor, a Principal Investigator at the Office, said these at the first of such seminars for selected heads of MDAs in Ho. He said it became necessary to embark on the initiative following the upsurge of complaints bordering on corruption made to the Commission in the Region.

Mr Honuvor said the Commission had established that many of such complaints bordered on conflict of interest between public interest and private professional or commercial interest of the public office holders.

He said it was imperative for public officials to identify and deal with conflict of interest situations in order to win and maintain the trust of the public at all times.

Mr Carlos Mensah, a Principal Investigator also with the Commission, noted that many instances of conflict of interest related to employment, taking on private assignments that impair or hamper their official duties, use of public property, use of official time, use of subordinate's time and influence peddling among others. He said such attitudes were against the 1992 Republican Constitution and called for concerted efforts from stakeholders to resolve the situation.

Mr Mensah urged public officials to stay away from receiving gifts which have the propensity of influencing their official duties. He said gifts offered to or accepted by a public officer with the exception of unsolicited gifts of souvenirs and gifts from family members on the basis of family relationships only must be politely but firmly declined or immediately returned to the sender if delivered without prior notice.

Mr Mensah said when it was not practicable to return a tangible item because it is perishable, the item should be given to an appropriate charity. Mr W.E.K Bimah, Volta Regional Director of Forestry urged government to make public sector salaries attractive as one of the strategies for tackling poverty and corruption among public sector employees. Mr Joseph Nuertey, Acting Volta Regional Director of CHRAJ said public offices are positions of trust and urged officials to keep their offices as such.