According to Casely-Hayford, Mr. Ayariga’s apology should not be accepted because his comments are deemed rude to the Speaker of Parliament and the entire membership of the House.

“What Ayariga did in Parliament despite the pre-qualification of what he said in terms of the terms of reference is actually a rude comment back to the Speaker and to the House and it should not be accepted,” he added.

[contextly_sidebar id=”5Kzqd2DcZTCZZF1poSbzdAS3pGIQl8lK”]The Bawku Central MP has been charged with contempt of Parliament for making unsubstantiated bribery allegations against Members of the Appointments Committee and the Minister of Energy, Boakye Agyarko.

The Joe Ghartey committee, which investigated the matter, recommended that Mr. Ayariga be allowed to apologize for his allegations which were deemed derogatory to the image of Parliament.

Although he disagreed with the recommendations, Mr. Ayariga while speaking on the Floor of Parliament on Thursday said: “Mr. Speaker, if you say I should apologize, I have apologized.”

He has subsequently been rebuked for the apology which some believe was not genuine.

Speaking on Citi FM’s news analysis programme, The Big Issue on Saturday, Casely-Hayford, who is also a financial analyst and a social commentator, further argued that Mr. Ayariga was not remorseful hence his apology should be rejected.

“If Ayariga is asked to apologize to Bawku Naba, he will not stand there and say if you say I must apologize then I apologize. Under no circumstance would he say that, never.”

He explained that if Mr. Ayariga thought the committee had exceeded its mandate during its investigation, he should have petitioned the Speaker of Parliament.

“If the committee has been set up and you think it has exceeded its mandate, on the floor of parliament, you had the opportunity to make that statement. You can even write to the Speaker and say you disagree with the findings. But prior to that you can purge yourself of contempt by rendering the apology and you must render a true and proper apology. What he did was not true and proper. What he did was at best intellectual dishonesty,” Casely-Hayford argued.

Ayariga to apologize again to Parliament

In a related development, Citi News understands that Mahama Ayariga has written an apology letter to the Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Michael Oquaye, apologizing for his conduct.

In the supposed apology statement, Mr. Ayariga apologized to Energy Minister, Boakye, Agyarko, for his comments which sought to link him to his allegation of bribery in Parliament.

He’s also apologized to the Speaker, and the entire leadership of Parliament.

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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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According to a senior associate of ACEPA, Tuinese Amuzu, questions that were posed to witnesses who appeared before the committee were too skewed in a certain way that did not tell the entire story of what transpired.

[contextly_sidebar id=”sgbDKiXdtEV2HWG1MxWmpf4XvtAYvdTU”]He said there is no expectation of any critical outcome from the committee’s report which is to be presented to Parliament next Wednesday.

Speaking at a multi-stakeholder forum on strengthening responsiveness to corruption-related incidents, Amuzu said “The posture of the committee is as a result of the kind of training that members of the committee had. So we are all brought up into a system that say, if you are coming into this committee there are rules by which you should come. We should be more interested in the substantive matter, and coming to the bottom of it.”

“We should be less technical and more inclusive and more interested in delving into the bottom of the matter so that we will not say, you have come to give testimony on a particular aspect of the matter and once you are done, that is it.”

Parliament earlier this year, set up a five-member committee to investigate corruption allegations level against members of the Appointments Committee.

It was alleged that some members of the minority on the committee, were given bribes allegedly from the minister of Energy, Boakye Agyarko to facilitate his approval after he appeared before the committee for vetting.

The committee eventually took testimonies from key persons mentioned in the scandal including Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa,  Member of Parliament for North Tongu; Muntaka Mubarak, Member of Parliament for Asawase; Boakye Agyarko; Energy Minister; Mahama Ayariga, Member of Parliament for Bawku Central; and Joe Osei-Owusu, Member of Parliament for Bekwai, who also doubled as Chairman of the Appointments Committee.

But ACEPA said it does not expect any positive outcome from the committee’s report.

It had earlier said the delay in the release of the report could give room for speculations about the credibility of the report, adding that, the composition and posture of the committee already shows that the outcome will not incriminate any member of Parliament.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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This comes at a time when the committee was just about to wrap up on its investigations.

[contextly_sidebar id=”bhnnQoh4XQEwzpH2NkJ8xpdSqassmFYg”]The 5-member Committee was set up following allegations that the Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko, bribed some members of the Appointments Committee of parliament to facilitate his approval after appearing before it for vetting.

The second Deputy Majority Whip, Matthew Nyindam, who confirmed the development to Citi News, said although the deadline for the submission of the report was due, the Committee would still have to take the evidence of the interested party to prevent suspicion of bias.

“We met last week on a business issue and I raised that issue with the majority leader, and I asked him when this Joe Ghartey thing will be ready, because the public is interested, we are also interested as a house because it is an alleged issue and we all have to clear it. According to the leader, a member said he has some kind of evidence to tender in so they have to hold on for him to bring it so that it doesn’t look like somebody is fighting against the other.”

Matthew Nyindam, who remained tight-lipped on which MP had made the fresh application, said the report would be ready soon.

“It is true that the period given has expired, and I don’t recollect vividly that the speaker extended it, but the report is not ready. It is not illegal; there is no illegality in this. The only thing is that they would have gone to see the speaker for an extension of time and the speaker would have granted that,” he said.

Various civil society groups and individuals are mounting pressure on the committee to release the report on the matter which many say, has dented the image of the legislative body.

Dr. Rashid Raman, the Executive Director of the Africa Center for Parliamentary Affairs, has said that the longer the delay in the release of the report, the more likely Ghanainas will doubt the accuracy of the findings when eventually published.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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This follows his letter to the committee on Thursday [February 16] urging it to invite him because he was a party to the case.

His letter authored by his attorneys and addressed to the Chairman of the committee, Joe Ghartey said, even though he was aware the chairman had limited the number of witnesses to appear before the committee to 4, excluding him, he wanted to appear as well to narrate his side of the story.

Portions of the letter said, “our client further instructs us that it has come to his attention that your Committee has decided to limit the number of witnesses to be called to give evidence and that he has not been named as one of such witnesses.

“However, in his testimony which was beamed live on National television and which has been widely reported in the national print media, the chairman of the Appointments Committee and first deputy speaker of parliament, Honourable Joseph Osei Owusu, mentioned our client as having told him that the bribery allegation was made up… Since our client was not given an opportunity to cross examine Hon. Joseph Osei Owusu on this unsubstantiated piece of evidence, it would surely be in accord with the rules of natural justice that our client be heard in his own defence before your Committee.”

The letter also warned that Mr Ablakwa would seek redress in court if the Committee fails to invite him.

Citi News have gathered that following the receipt of the letter, the committee has decided to invite Mr Ablakwa to also appear.

The ad-hoc committee is expected to sit today, [Friday, February 2017] to listen to the testimonies Alhaji Mubarak Mohammed Muntaka, the Minority Chief Whip, MP for Asawasi, Mahama Ayariga, MP for Bawku Central, Mr Boakye Agyarko, the Energy Minister and the North Tongu legislator, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.

‘Bribery scandal’

Three members of the minority on that committee, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Alhassan Suhuyini and Mahama Ayariga alleged that some monies were paid to them after the vetting of Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko to help facilitate his [Boakye Agyarko’s] approval.

The allegations were dismissed by the Chairman of the Appointments Committee, Joe Osei Owusu and Minority Chief Whip Muntaka Mubarak Mohammed, whose names were mentioned as conduits of the alleged payment.

The three MPs subsequently petitioned the speaker of the House, Prof. Mike Oquaye to investigate the allegations.

A five-member committee chaired by a former Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joe Ghartey, was constituted to investigate the allegations and presents its report within 30 days.

Members of the committee’

The committee charged the investigate the matter is made up of the MP for Offinso South, Mr Ben Abdallah Banda; the MP for Juaben, Madam Ama Pomaah Boateng; the MP for Yilo Krobo, Mr Magnus Kofi Amoateng, and the MP for Talensi, Mr Benson Tongo Baba. It has Joe Ghartey, who is also the Member of Parliament for Essikado-Kentan as chairman.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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According to Mr Osei-Owusu, his reputation and integrity has been badly affected by the allegation.

Mr. Osei-Owusu made the request when Parliament discussed the matter on the floor, and eventually a five-member investigative committee, to look into to the matter.

[contextly_sidebar id=”uOuG8i2Uj3ySL6Gj3kyrrdVirD0daWKz”]Delivering a statement on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday [January 21, 2017] on the matter, the MP, who is also the Chairman of Parliament’s Appointments Committee, said, “I’ve never discussed, requested, demanded or received money of whatever quantum for myself or committee members from Mr Boakye Agyarko or any other person for that matter. Neither have I discussed, offered or given any money to Hon. Muntaka Mubarak for himself or for members of the Minority on the Appointments Committee. The allegations by Hon Mahama Ayariga therefore is a colossal untruth which has done grievous damage to my reputation, my hard-earned integrity.”

Mahama Ayariga on Friday [January 27, 2017] accused the Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko of bribing the ten Minority members of the committee with GHc3,000 each when he realized that the Minority had refused to pass him for the position following comments he made about former President John Mahama during his vetting.

Mr. Ayariga alleged that the money was given to the Minority Chief Whip, Mubarak Mohammed Muntaka by the Chairman of the Appointments Committee, Joseph Osei-Owusu for onward disbursement; a claim other Members of Parliament, Alhassan Suhuyini and Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa confirmed.

But Mr. Osei-Owusu who has in a previous Citi News interview denied the allegation, said the decision on the approval of Mr. Agyarko was taken the same day at the close of the day’s vetting.

“The charge of bribery for the majority to pass the nominee therefore does not fit in the equation as the nominee had already been recommended to be passed by the majority the same night the nominee was vetted.”

“I crave your indulgence to assist me to ventilate my grievance in court, if I am successful, it may help redeem the image of this parliament, which is often battered by its own members.”

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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The NPP at a press conference on Tuesday addressed by Mustapha Hamid, spokesperson for the NPP’s presidential candidate, alleged that the President and his brother, Ibrahim Mahama, tried to compromise Bugri Naabu with a brand new V6 Mitsubishi, a brand New V8 Land Cruiser and GHc 3.3 million for him to resign from his party and further paint the Akufo-Addo as a dictator and “an anti-northerner.”

[contextly_sidebar id=”csWpyIpAS8WWBixwXOLWEQ50JLdsYlxa”]“Around the same time, Ibrahim Mahama had tried to convince Bugri with money to leave the NPP to become a chief after Daniel Bugri Naabu’s uncle died, but Bugri refused,” he added.

Mr. Oppong however believes the allegation must be investigated to establish its veracity.

“This allegation must be investigated by the Police even at their level and if they think that no useful purpose should be served by even inviting the person against whom the allegation has been made then they can make a determination and tell us.”

He further suggested that persons implicated in the alleged scandal should also be invited for questioning.

“Not only must you investigate the person against who the allegations are made but the veracity of the story, by also inviting the one who has made the allegation.”

Bribery claim ‘cock and bull story’

Meanwhile the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has rubbished these allegations, describing them as a cock and bull story.

Speaking on Eyewitness News, Kofi Adams, who is the National Coordinator of President Mahama’s campaign team said the claims were lies.

“Who in his mind collects money he says it’s bribe; and goes and deposit in his account. He didn’t find any police station to take that money that he considers as a bribe. He didn’t find any person to witness that he took the money and was going round and looking for a Prudential bank that works on Saturday to go and deposit the money. This cock and bull stories should be told to only NPP members and not Ghanaians in generality.”

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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