According to Kennedy Agyapong, an independent body [CHRAJ] should be employed to look into the bribery allegation.
MP for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyepong
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According to him, an independent body [CHRAJ] should be employed to look into the bribery allegation.
"This time around an independent body should investigate Parliament; we shouldn’t leave this matter with the Speaker to settle. Once Parliament is investigating itself, we might not get the full brief; an independent body like CHRAJ must come in and do the investigations. We’ve had enough allegations of bribery about Parliament, let’s have another body go into the matter and bring finality to the issue," he said.
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Bawku Central MP Mahama Ayariga who first made the allegation claimed that then-Energy Minister-designate Boakye Agyarko had offered cash through Appointments Committee chairman Joe Osei-Owusu, to be shared among Minority MPs on the committee.
According to Mr. Ayariga, GHC3000 was paid to each of the NDC MPs by Minority Chief Whip Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, an amount they thought was sitting allowance for MPs on the committee, but returned the monies when they heard a rumour that the amount had actually come from Mr. Agyarko to influence them to endorse his nomination as minister.
The chairman of the committee, Mr Osei-Owusu and Mr Muntaka have both denied the allegation.
The Speaker of Parliament Mike Ocquaye has constituted a five-member committee chaired by Joe Ghartey to look into the corruption allegation.
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Reacting to the alleged bribery case on Accra-based Kasapa FM, he said Parliament would not be able to adequately investigate the bribery scandal.
He noted that "The Chairman of the Investigative Committee, Hon. Joe Ghartey himself is a ministerial nominee who will also later appear before the same Appointment Committee which has been accused of bribery to be vetted so I have a problem with his choice."
