The Energy Minister says he would consider legal action against Bawku Central MP Mahama Ayariga for bribery allegation leveled against him.
Boakye Agyarko denied offering money to members of Parliament’s Appointments Committee to approve his nomination.
In an exclusive interview with Joy News’ Elton Brobbey Friday, the former Vice President of the Bank of New York said it is unthinkable that he would use money to cajole anybody to do something for him.
“First of all I feel saddened that allegation was made without the fear of equivocation…it is totally false,” he said.
“I have not offered any money or gone to anybody to offer to members of Parliament to make a decision in my favor.”
Mr Ayariga has alleged on an Accra-based Radio Gold that Mr Agyarko offered GHC100,000 to the Appointments Committee to buy his approval.
He claimed each member of the Committee was offered GHC3,000, but minority members on it rejected the money after they were told of the giver.
Few minutes after the allegation made the headline, Chairman of the Committee Joseph Osei Owusu told the House that the legislator had withdrawn his statement.
He said the former Science and Technology Minister had wanted to equalise for statements the Energy Minister made about former John Mahama.
Mr Boakye had said the former President chose corruption over the interest of the country in some of his government decisions. He also said World Bank had ‘breathed fire’ down the neck of Mr Mahama to take a particular course of action.
Mr Ayariga has denied withdrawing his claim. He wrote on his Facebook wall that he still stands by his words.
“Let me state categorically that I have not withdrawn any allegation against the nominee. The basis for such a withdrawal and apology does not exist because the Minority Members actually received some sums of money from the leadership which came from the nominee,” he said.
But the former Policy Advisor for the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) said he did no such thing “without the fear of contradiction.”
He said he has not dealt with any of the minority members on the Committee, adding since his appointment by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, he has been to the House on two occasions.
Mr Boakye explained his first visit was during the vetting and the second one was when Mr Osei Owusu called him to submit one of his documents to the Committee.
“I have talked to my lawyers we are listening to the tape and then they will make the decision,” he said.
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