In light of evidence implicating John Oti Bless in a slanderous attack on the Chief Justice, the Deputy Majority Leader, Alfred Agbesi, has stated that Parliament is not under pressure to immediately take into account this evidence before approving Oti Bless’ nomination as Deputy Local Government Minister.
Describing the evidence as “extraneous” to matter at hand, Mr. Agbesi has however given some indication that the leadership of Parliament will assess the evidence which is not immediately available in the report of the Appointments Committee.
[contextly_sidebar id=”tajIesBCqNwaOzwbc666Jd278N9kElQC”]Members of the Minority in Parliament, have kicked against the approval of John Bless Oti’s nomination as Deputy Minister for Local Government after it emerged that he was on the same Montie FM ‘Pampaso’ programme that saw the host and two panelists imprisoned for contempt.
Oti Bless himself is on record as accusing the Chief Justice of “conniving” with the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) in an attempt to reverse the election results in 2008 and in 2012 among other allegations.
Parliament to look into ‘extraneous things’
But the Ashaiman legislator, who is as yet unaware of the details of the evidence, has said the leadership of Parliament will consult broadly on both sides taking a decision the nomination.
In an interview with Citi News’ Duke Mensah Opoku, he noted that “all the statements he [Oti Bless] is alleged to have said are all being put together and we shall look at them holistically.”
“At the committee level, these things did not come to our notice so the committee report didn’t capture them. If they had brought them to our notice at the committee level, we would have captured them and then see the reaction of the House.”
Mr. Agbesi has however indicated that the leadership of Parliament will be assessing the “extraneous” elements pertaining to Oti Bless’ nomination as the Deputy Minister for Local Government.
“The position of Parliament is that the report of the committee has come.We are looking at it. Meanwhile extraneous things have been brought to our attention and that is why we have to stop now and look at those extraneous things and we are waiting for our leadership to take a decision.”
Possible suit
A Ghanaian citizen, Richard Asante Yeboah, has since the emergence of the audio evidence, threatened legal action if the MP for Nkwanta North, John Bless Oti’s nomination is approved.
Mr. Yeboah has already petitioned the President to withdraw his [Oti’s] appointment and warned that if Oti Bless was allowed to become the Local Government Deputy Minster, it would mean the President endorsed what he described as “scandalous” conduct.
“It will be out of this world for a President to take such action and I am expecting the President not heed to such a call.”
–
By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana