Bribery probe waste without cross-examination - Sylvester Mensah

A former Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Sylvester Mensah, has said the entire parliamentary bribery probe will amount to nothing without cross-examination.

This follows the third sitting of the Joe Ghartey committee on Monday February 20. The ad hoc committee was set up by parliament to investigate an alleged attempt by Boakye Agyarko, Minister of Energy, through the Chairman of the Appointments Committee, Joe Osei-Owusu, to bribe Minority MPs on the committee to approve his nomination as narrated by Bawku Central MP Mahama Ayariga.

Four witnesses: Mr Ayariga, Minority Chief Whip Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, and Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko, all appeared before the committee on Monday but did not state anything substantially different from their earlier stance on the scandal.

Speaking to Class News’ parliamentary correspondent, Ekow Annan, after the proceedings, Mr Mensah said the best way to unravel the truth in the bribery allegation is for the committee to allow for cross-examination.

“My position is that without cross-examination, there is no way we can unravel this. This issue will always be judged in the court of public opinion. If anything at all, whatever we have heard today has reshaped and reinforced public opinion on what really transpired. I think that without cross-examination, we will be wasting our time,” he stated.

“If you have a situation where people are speaking at variance and the issues are quiet sticky and you could tell there has been some contact one way or the other and you don’t allow cross examination, how else do you want to unravel the truth or facts about the matter?”