All eyes will be on Parliament today as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bawku Central, Mr Mahama Ayariga, is billed to render an unqualified apology to Parliament to purge himself of the contempt of Parliament charge against him.
The special committee that investigated the bribery allegation he made against the chairman and some members of the Appointments Committee of Parliament (ACP) found him guilty of contempt of Parliament and recommended that he should render an unqualified apology.
But Mr Ayariga's apology to Parliament last Thursday, which he couched in the following words: "If you say I should apologise, I apologise", was deemed to be a 'qualified' apology.
Subsequently, the Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, said in view of the development, he would give a ruling and directive the following day.
But the Daily Graphic learnt that Mr Ayariga had prepared a written apology, which he was to deliver to Parliament last Friday.
The Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Bagbin, who presided over the second part of the sitting last Friday, said there was an outstanding issue regarding the bribery case.
The Joe Ghartey Committee
Parliament set up the five-member ad hoc committee on January 31, 2017, to investigate the allegation that each member of the Appointments Committee of Parliament (ACP) was given GH¢3,000 bribe by the then Minister designate for Energy, Mr Boakye Agyarko, to facilitate his approval.
The committee is chaired by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Esikadu/Ketan (NPP) and former Second Deputy Speaker, Mr Joe Ghartey, with Mr Ben Abdallah Banda, MP for Offinso South (NPP); Ms Ama Pomaa Boateng, MP for Juaben (NPP); Mr Magnus Kofi Amoatey, MP for Yilo Krobo (NDC), and Mr Benson Tongo Baba, MP for Talensi (NDC), as the other members.
The terms of reference for the committee was to investigate the allegation that the Chairman of the ACP, Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu, had taken money from Mr Agyarko, and given same to the Minority Chief Whip and Deputy Ranking member on the ACP, Alhaji Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, to be given to Minority members on the committee.
It is to inquire whether attempts had been made to bribe members of the ACP, and also look into the remit of complaints and assertions made by Mr Osei-Owusu about the matter.
Findings
The committee concluded that Mr Agyarko had not given any money to Mr Osei-Owusu to be given to the Minority Chief Whip, Alhaji Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, for the purpose of bribing members of the ACP.
Besides, it said there was no attempt to bribe members of the ACP.
Source: Daily Graphic
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RECENT DEVELOPMENT AT GHANA PARLIAMENT CLEARLY SHOW THAT SOME MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT HAVE JUST COME TO THE HOUSE TO DISRUPT PARLIAMENTARY PROCESS. THE UGLYYYY AND UNRULY BEHAVIOR OF SOME OF THE NEW PARLIAMENTARIANS IS DISGRACEFULLLLL TO WHAT HAD HITHERTO BEEN CONSIDERED AS AN AUGUST HOUSE. THE UNSUBSTANTIATEDDDDD AND UNFOUNDED ALLEGATION HAS PORTRAYED SOME MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE AS BEING NOT SERIOUS, UNCOMMITTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NATION AND WASTING THE PRECIOUS TIME OF PARLIAMENT, THE NATION AND THE GOVERNMENT. IF THE PARLIAMENT DOES NOT STOP THIS DISHONORABLEEEE BEHAVIOR GHANAIANS WILL NOT TAKE THEM SERIOUS. WE THE CITIZENS SHALL IGNORE THEM AND ENCOURAGE THE GOVERNMENT TO FOCUS ON THE AGENDA TO MOVE THE NATION FORWARD. WHAT IS HAPPENING AT THE PARLIAMENT NOW PORTRAYS THEM LIKE CHILDRENNNN AND SCHOOL BOYS AND GIRLS WHO KNOW NOTHING IN LIFE THAN TO ASK AND TAKE MONEY FROM THEIR PARENTS TO SPEND IT ANY HOW. WE EXPECT MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT TO SHOW MATURITYY. IT IS SAD THAT WHAT IS HAPPENING AT PARLIAMENT IS AFFECTING ALL IN THE HOUSE BUT IN FACT THERE ARE MANY RESPECTABLE MEN AND WOMEN IN THE HOUSE. UNFORTUNATELY THE BEHAVIORS OF SAM GEAORGE AND SUHIYINI, NEW ENTRANTS, ARE DISGUSTINGGGG. THE PARLIAMENT HAS CHANGED MANY PEOPLE WHO BEFORE COMING TO THE HOUSE WERE REGARDED AS UNCOUTHHHHH. THOUGH WE HAVE NOT SEEN MUCH CHANGE IN AYARIGA AND OKOJATO ABLAKWA, NO ONE CAN DOUBT THE SIGNIFICANT IMPACT OF PARLIAMENT IN THE LIVES OF FIIFI KWERTEY AND KWASHIEGA WHO HAVE SO MUCH GROWN AND IMPROVED.
Why must Ayariga apologize for esposing the rot in parliament? Even in my layman's perspective, it is very clear the committee was set up to achieve a pre conceived results hence the shoddy work the committee wasted our resources on. What happened to the CCTV in parliament? Muntaka himself is a criminal allowed by democracy to make laws foe nation like Ghana, he is as greedy as the word itself. How come muntaka openly campaigned for Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu on a Kumasi radio station during the npp's parliamentary primaries by saying Kyei Mensah Bonsu is a national asset and so changing him for a fresher would be a mistake, Was muntaka not aware that his party would contest for the suame seat? yet he (muntaka) exhibited his disloyalty to his party and campaigned for Mensah Bonsu.What was his motive then if not for greediness? that muntaka guy is clandestinely in bed with criminals for as long as he benefits. And those parliamentarians who stupidly think Ghanaians will take whatever they say as the truth just because they want to protect their long lost credibility, they must think again. Afterall, this only one of the many issues some of us know.