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Only 4 witnesses may testify

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Mr Joe Ghartey, Chairman of the committee made this known at the first public hearing on Wednesday.
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The five-member ad-hoc committee formed to investigate bribery allegations against some members of the Appointments Committee of Parliament has shortlisted only four witnesses to testify in the scandal.

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They are Mr Joe Osei Owusu, the First Deputy of Speaker and Member of Parliament (MP) for Bekwai who has already appeared before the committee on Wednesday morning.

Others are Alhaji Mubarak Mohammed Muntaka, the Minority Chief Whip and MP for Asawasi, Mr Mahama Ayariga, MP for Bawku Central and Mr Boakye Agyarko, Energy Minister and MP for Ayawaso West Wuogon.

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Mr Joe Ghartey, Chairman of the committee who made this known at the first public hearing on Wednesday said any other member of the committee who has any information that would be useful to the committee should submit a memoranda by Friday.

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“Upon receipt of the memoranda we will decide whether it is necessary to call that person as a witness or we shall just examine the memoranda that the person has submit and prepare our report,” he said.

The Committee will meet again after Wednesday’s meeting.

Meanwhile, Joe Ghartey, has said he will not recuse himself over a potential conflict of interest situation.

Some Ghanaians raised issues of conflict of interest about Mr Ghartey following his appointment as chair of the investigative committee prior to his own vetting as Minister-designate of Railway Development.

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But the Essikado Ketan MP and now substantive Minister of state said: “The conflict of interest of members of the committee as Members of Parliament investigating their own members has been answered by the comments that have been made. [As regards] conflict of interest of the chairman who appeared before the Appointments Committee, I don’t see any conflict of interest.

“Article 284 of the Constitution says that a public officer shall not put himself in a position where his personal interest conflicts with the performance of the functions of his duty. I am a public officer as Member of Parliament. Unfortunately I don’t agree with those who think that my sitting as chairman poses a conflict of interest. I will, therefore, not recuse myself.”

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