BRIBERY SCANDAL: I will die by the truth- Mahama Ayariga
Member of Parliament (MP) for Bawku Central Mahama Ayariga has reiterated that he will die by the facts he has put out surrounding the scandal of an alleged bribe given to the minority members of the appointments committee by new Minister of Energy Boakye Agyarko.
According to him, the minority members of the committee had received an amount of GH¢3000 each from their chief whip Hon Alhaji Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka but insists they thought the money was being given to them as sitting allowance.
The member of parliament claimed that he had asked the chief whip later on to clarify rumours surrounding the source of the money and was told by Hon Muntaka that the money had been given to him by the chairman of the appointment committee to be distributed to the minority members of the committee.
“Hon Muntaka called us and told to us to pass by his office for our monies so we went to the office and took the monies but thought it was our sitting allowance. GH¢3000 is not any big money but well we thought that was what parliament could afford”
“We did not know how much we were going to be given as sitting allowance but we are vetting about 70 people so GH¢3000 for the work we are doing is not any big money” he said when questioned if they knew the amount due them as sitting allowance.
He further claimed that when they (minority members) found out that the monies were from Boakye Agyarko they instructed that the monies be returned to were it came from since they intend to take only money due them as sitting allowance from parliament.
“When we found out where the money came from we asked the chief whip to return the money to the chairman of the committee to be returned wherever it came from” he said
As to whether Boakye Agyarko gave out the money because we were withholding his appointment, it is for the public to judge. I am only interested in stating the facts of the matter and I will die by the truth” he concluded
Early on, the appointment committee had frozen the appointment of Mr Boakye Agyarko and senior minister designate Yaw Osarfo Maafo together with three other nominees but Mr Agyarko was later cleared by the committee and subsequently sworn in by President Nana Akufo Addo.
Some have accused the minister of attempting to bribe the minority caucus while others insist Hon Mahama Ayariga and his colleagues are trying to score political points off the situation.
The 26-member Appointments Committee has the following membership:
Majority
Joseph Osei-Owusu (MP for Bekwai and First Deputy Speaker) – Chairman
Adwoa Safo (MP for Dome Kwabenya and Deputy Majority Leader)
Kwesi Ameyaw Cheremeh (MP for Sunyani East and Majority Chief Whip)
Dominic Nitiwul (MP for Bimbilla)
Samuel Atta Kyea (MP for Abuakwa South)
Matthew Opoku Prempeh (Manhyia South)
Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus-Glover (MP for Tema East)
Ursula G. Owusu-Ekuful (MP Ablekuma West)
Joseph Kofi Adda (Navrongo Central)
Joseph Cudjoe (Effia)
Patricia Apeagyei (Asokwa)
O.B. Amoah (Akwapim South)
Kofi Amoako Hene (Atebubu)
Anthony Karbo (Lawra)
Barbara Asher Ayisi (Cape Coast South)
Micheal Yaw Gyato (Krachie)
Minority
Haruna Iddrisu (Minority Leader and MP for Tamale South) – Ranking Member,
Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak (Minority Chief Whip and MP for Asawase)
Mahama Ayariga (Bawku Central)
Sampson Ahi (Bodi)
Eric Opoku (Asunafo South)
Bernice Adiku Heloo (Hohoe)
Joseph Yieleh Chireh (Wa West)
Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye (Odododiodioo)
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa (North Tongu)
Alhassan Suhuyini (Tamale North)
By Musah Abelyire/ghanaguardian.com
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