Parliamentary bribery committee sitting blocked

The five-member committee set up by the Speaker of Parliament to look into the bribery allegations against some members of the Appointments Committee cannot begin work.

This is due to the absence of the star witness, Mahama Ayariga. The Bawku Central Member of Parliament is said to have travelled out of Ghana for an international assignment. To be precise, he is in the Nigeria capital of Abuja for an Ecowas parliamentary session.

Mr Ayariga and two members of the Appointments Committee, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and Alhassan Suhuyini, had petitioned Speaker Mike Oquaye to investigate claims that Minister of Energy Boakye Kyeremanteng Agyarko had offered bribe through Chairman of the Committee Joe Osei-Owusu prior to his vetting.

After consultation with leadership, Speaker Oquaye named Joe Ghartey as chairman of the five-member investigative committee.

Ben Abdallah Banda (Offinso South), Magnus Kofi Amoatey (Yilo Krobo), Ama Pomaa Boateng (Juaben) and Benson Tongo Baba (Talensi) are the members.

They had scheduled Monday, February 13 as date to start work but say they cannot as a result of Mr Ayariga’s absence.

A new date is yet to be determined.