The Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) has recommended that parliament engages an external independent, and transparent organization to look into the bribery scandal involving members of Ghana’s parliament.
The Speaker of Parliament on Tuesday January 31 commissioned a five-member ad hoc ommittee to conduct an independent inquiry of the bribery allegation against the chairman of the Appointments Committee and other members serving on the committee.
The committee’s setting up was occasioned by request by members of the house after member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga alleged on Accra based Radio Gold Mr Agyako, then a ministerial nominee tried bribing Minority members on the Appointment Committee of parliament with an amount of Gh¢3000 each through the committee’s chairman Joe Osei-Owusu.
The money was to facilitate the approval of Mr. Agyarko’s nomination.
According to Mr. Ayariga who said he did not receive any money, details surrounding the sharing of the money reached him through his chief whip Alhaji Muntaka Mubarak.
Both Alhaji Mubarak and Joe Osei-Owusu have denied knowing anything about the money purported to have exchanged hands although Mr. Ayariga insists.
The Committee will be led by former Attorney General, Joe Ghartey
The other members include Ben Abdallah, Ama Pomaah Boateng, BT Baba and Magnus Kofi Amoatey.
But GII is of the opinion parliamentarians should not be made to investigate their own in this matter.
“GII considers the current matter as unfortunate, embarrassing and a major dent in the image of Parliament and hence the urgent need for swift action by the Leadership of the August House to redeem the sinking image of the Legislature learning from the example of the infamous judicial corruption scandal and how the Chief Justice acted swiftly to investigate and sanction.
Read below full statement
The Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) has followed with grief concerns the unfolding controversies and confusion related to allegations of attempted bribery of the Minority Caucus of the Appointments Committee of Parliament.
The allegations as made by Hon. Mahama Ayariga, Member of Parliament (MP) for Bawku Central to the effect that, the then Minister Nominee for Energy attempted to bribe the Minority Caucus on the Appointments Committee with the sum of three thousand Ghana cedis each in order to secure consensus amongst members of the Committee to approve his nomination has even been made murkier by statements made by:
The Public Affairs Department of Parliament dismissing the allegation;
The first Deputy Speaker and the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Appointment Committee, Hon. Joseph Osei Owusu on the floor of Parliament that Hon. Mahama Ayariga has retracted and apologised;
Ayariga denial that he had retracted and apologised on radio
Muntaka, MP for Asawase denial of receipt of any money or giving any money to anybody as alleged by Hon. Ayariga.
GII is of the opinion that, it is incumbent on officials who hold public office and are paid with public funds to demonstrate the highest standards of integrity in the performance of their duties and therefore considers the developments in Parliament very worrying particularly also because similar allegations in the recent past were not thoroughly investigated, at least not that we know of.
It is however, refreshing to note that even though this is not the first time an MP is alleging attempted bribery of MPs, this is the first time MPs are publicly calling for investigations into the matter and committing to testifying during such investigations.
GII considers the current matter as unfortunate, embarrassing and a major dent in the image of Parliament and hence the urgent need for swift action by the Leadership of the August House to redeem the sinking image of the Legislature learning from the example of the infamous judicial corruption scandal and how the Chief Justice acted swiftly to investigate and sanction.
To this end, GII calls for an EXTERNAL INDEPENDENT and TRANSPARENT investigations into the allegations particularly in the light of Parliament’s initial position of dismissing the allegations.
GII is also of the view that though unfortunate, this is an opportunity for Parliament if possible to holistically address the general public’s perception of Parliamentary corruption and incessant allegations made by individuals including Hon. Martin Amidu, former Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Hon. Alban Bagbin, an MP, Hon. P.C Appiah Ofori, former MP and Professor Stephen Adei, Former rector of GIMPA.
SIGNED: Linda Ofori-Kwafo, Executive Director
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