Man Suffers Loss Of Eyeball�CHRAJ Launches Investigation

The Obuasi Directorate of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has launched investigations into circumstances that led to the loss of one eye ball (left) by one Kwadwo Kwaakye, a 42 year old former employee of Alak Drilling and Mining Services, following a petition directed to it by the Victim. A source close to the department explained that it has issued summons to the Managing Director of the Company, Alfred Akwasi Boakye, to appear before it to explain why the Company has refused to support the victim since the incident. According to the Petition, the victim suffered the accident during maintenance works on one of its equipment at its workshop at Nyameso, a suburb of Obuasi, during which a metal ball popped out of a bushing and hit the victim�s left eye ball causing him extreme injury resulting in a surgery at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi to replace the eye ball with an artificial one. Narrating his ordeal to some journalists in Obuasi, Kwadwo Kwaakye, a father of 2 and a husband, alleged that after the successful surgery, the Company and its M.D. Akwasi Boakye has failed to support him to be able to cater for himself and family as well as buy medication. To worsen his plight, Kwaakye further alleged that Mr. Alfred Boakye has ejected him and his family from an accommodation facility he provided him, thus rendering him homeless. According to him, he can hardly feed himself and his family or cater for his Children�s school fees, since most business establishments are unwilling to engage him in any economic venture that will earn him some income. Even more critical is the fact the he has not had any post-surgery medication resulting in some liquid oozing out of the eye continuously. �The stigma has affected me and my family psychologically that I need help,� he added. He is therefore calling on the Human Rights Commission to intervene in the matter so he can continue to live a normal life. He is also calling on the National labour Commission to compel the Company and its M.D to adopt safe working practices by providing safety goggles and boots to its staff.