WACAM sad over Anna Bossman’s exit

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Thursday June 2, 2011.
WACAM, a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) campaigning against irresponsible mining in the country, has expressed sadness over the resignation of Anna Bossman who until recently was the Acting Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).

“WACAM wishes to express its surprise and sadness on the resignation of Ms Anna Bossman, the former Acting Commissioner of CHRAJ. We wish her the best in her future endeavours and hope that she would not stray from her commitment to the protection of the rights of the poor.”

A statement issued in Accra and signed by Daniel Owusu-Koranteng, Executive Director of WACAM, said Ms. Anna Bossman personifies excellence in the public service and many Ghanaians would remember her “for her dedication to national duty especially the protection of the rights of the poor.”

The release said WACAM will remember Ms. Bossman “for advancing the preliminary work of her predecessor Justice Francis Emile Short in constituting investigations on the human rights abuses in mining communities.”

WACAM said Ms. Bossman had the patience to listen to testimonies of the mining communities on human rights abuses, displacement of communities, cyanide spillages, air and water pollution, loss of livelihood and the general worsening of the living conditions of host communities, which resulted from the unbridled desire of foreign capital to exploit the country’s natural wealth.

“She visited mining communities in very remote areas to have first-hand information on the human rights abuses perpetrated by multinational mining companies. Those of us who had the opportunity to accompany her on the visit to mining communities would forever remember the simplicity with which she handled human rights issues and this manifested in her deep respect and tolerance for very ordinary people.”

WACAM said the former CHRAJ Boss worked hard with her team of staff of the Commission to document the human rights abuses in mining communities in a report titled “The State of human rights in mining communities,” which was published in 2008, adding “CHRAJ report has contributed immensely to the on-going reforms in the mining sector and the report has become a reference point globally that brings out the human rights challenges confronting resource rich developing countries.”

“WACAM and the mining communities commend her highly for her extraordinary commitment to the protection of the rights of poor mining communities. Though we are sad to lose such a dedicated public servant at this time when we need the services of nationalists of her kind, her leadership style has become a model for public service. We are proud that she has left a legacy of dedicated public service to be emulated by many public servants.”