Parliament has a “culture of cash collection” - Kofi Bentil

Abu Mubarik 09:59 - 08 April 2017

Discussing the Mahama Ayariga’s apology to parliament in a panel discussion Saturday, Mr Bentil said the culture is undermining the nation’s democracy.

Vice President of Policy think tank IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil, has said the Ghanaian parliament has a “culture of cash collection,” saying parliament is not determined to deal with it.

Discussing Mahama Ayariga’s apology to parliament in a panel broadcast Saturday, Mr Bentil said the culture is undermining the nation’s democracy.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Newsfile Saturday, Mr Bentil alleged that parliament takes money from the executive to pass laws.

“Our parliament seems to have a culture of cash collection. It is a very notorious thing. People know it, everybody complains apparently they won’t even pass laws from government except after they’ve been paid,” he said.

“And this culture has led to the point where you are taking GHS3000 or so in envelopes. That kind of culture is terrible and I made a point, that it is undermining our democracy,” he said.

His comments follow Mahama Ayariga's unconditional apology to Parliament on Friday after the Joe Ghartey Committee tasked to investigate the allegation concluded that he was peddling rumours and that he had no evidence to back his claims.

The committee’s report found him guilty of contempt of Parliament and instructed him to apologize to the house.

The Speaker of Parliament pardoned him and said he should “go and sin no more” after he rendered an unqualified apology to parliament.