Pressure group, OccupyGhana has called for an independent police investigation into the bribery scandal that has engulfed Parliament’s Appointment Committee.
The allegations of bribery surfaced when a Minority member of the Appointments Committee, Mahama Ayariga, MP for Bawku Central, accused the Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko of bribing the 10 Minority members on the Committee with GHc 3,000 to pass him.
OccupyGhana in a statement described the allegations as damning to the integrity of Ghana’s Legislature and stressed that the allegations must not be glossed over in the name of partisanship.
Thus the group is adamant the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Police Service must immediately constitute a team to investigate the allegations.
It also called for the “harshest of parliamentary and possibly criminal sanctions” against those making the allegations if the claims are found to be false.
“We call for an independent Police investigation into the damning allegations and a no-holds-barred criminal prosecution of anyone found to be on the wrong side of Ghanaian law in this scandalous development. In the same vein, we demand the harshest of parliamentary and possibly criminal sanctions for those making the allegations if they prove to be false. We respectfully call on the Police CID to immediately empanel a team to commence investigations and establish the truth, or the lack thereof, in any part of the nation-wrecking allegations.”
“We absolutely refuse to allow Ghana’s Parliament to either add itself to the list of the country’s most corrupt institutions or become a citadel of false allegations, and our demand for this probe will settle the matter of whether or not our legislative arm of government can be trusted to uphold the rule of Law in the Ghanaian Republic,” the statement concluded.
Mr. Ayariga alleged that the purported bribe money was given to the Minority Chief Whip, Mubarak Mohammed Muntaka by the Chairman of the Appointments Committee, Joseph Osei-Owusu for onward disbursement to the Minority members of the committee.
Although the Chief Whip and the Chairman have denied the claims, the Mr. Ayariga has insisted he is certain about the allegations.
Mr. Osei-Owusu has also stated that it is impossible for members the Appointments Committee to be influenced by bribes after sittings as the committee never defers decisions on persons vetted, thus leaving no room for external influence.
OccupyGhana® has observed with increasing unease, allegations and denials of corruption making the trade between Members of the Ghanaian Parliament’s Appointments Committee.
Having been profoundly disturbed by the exposés of palpable judicial corruption in Ghana’s courts, and working tirelessly over the space of our existence to help stamp out corruption in executive governance and in public service, we are unhappy about the allegations of parliamentary corruption and bribery being made by MPs against some of their number and others.
We are disturbed by the allegations of parliamentary rot and corruption by credible persons of the Ghanaian society against various other Committees selected to work on Bills such as the GIMPA Act, going as far as to accuse MPs of demanding bribes and payments before sitting on bills. We recall Parliament’s abject failure, refusal or neglect to investigate allegations of corruption made against its members by the immediate past Majority Leader, just before his elevation to that high office.
The present allegations of bribery are grave and sobering and impinge on the integrity not only of Parliament but also of the image of the Ghanaian Republic. These allegations must not be glossed over and brushed under the carpet by the usually lackadaisical or complicit workings of partisan politics.
We call for an independent Police investigation into the damning allegations and a no-holds-barred criminal prosecution of anyone found to be on the wrong side of Ghanaian law in this scandalous development. In the same vein, we demand the harshest of parliamentary and possibly criminal sanctions for those making the allegations if they prove to be false. We respectfully call on the Police CID to immediately empanel a team to commence investigations and establish the truth, or the lack thereof, in any part of the nation-wrecking allegations.
We absolutely refuse to allow Ghana’s Parliament to either add itself to the list of the country’s most corrupt institutions or become a citadel of false allegations, and our demand for this probe will settle the matter of whether or not our legislative arm of government can be trusted to uphold the rule of Law in the Ghanaian Republic.
Yours, in the perpetual Service for God & Country
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