Ex-Deputy Minister Could Face Criminal Charges

The Deputy Minister who resigned last weekend after revelations by a newspaper of his involvement in fraudulent activities could face criminal investigations.

Alhaji Moctktar Bamba, Member of Parliament for the Wenchi East constituency of the Brong Ahafo region resigned his position as deputy Minister at the office of the President on Friday following reports by the Ghanaian Chronicle newspaper that he had been .

Chief of Staff at the Presidency Kwadwo Mpiani says the resignation of Bamba was not necessarily the end of the matter.

Information Minister Nana Akomeah who announced the deputy Minister’s resignation in a press statement last Friday said some of the allegations made against him like fraud, forgery of signatures among others requires the active participation of the police to get to the bottom of the matter.

Sources say the President ordered swift action to be taken last week after the allegations emerged against Bamba. The deputy Minister was called before a panel and when he admitted to a number of indiscretions, he was offered the opportunity to resign.

The Chronicle newspaper which blew the lid on Bamba with a series of reports quoting several documents said Bamba connived with one Raymond Akuffo, a defeated NPP candidate in the 2000 parliamentary elections to transact certain dubious business dealings.

Alhaji Bamba had also registered a company with Akuffo in which he was a director-secretary, which in itself is a contravention of the constitution.

The deputy Minister maintains he was unaware of Akuffo’s dubious undertakings but he has been told he must face the music for his actions.