Bribery allegation: I thank Ghanaians for trusting in my integrity – Osei-Owusu

The chairman of the Appointments Committee of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu, has expressed gratitude to citizens for standing by him in the midst of a bribery allegation against him, of which he has been vindicated.

The Bekwai MP told Class FM’s parliamentary correspondent, Ekow Annan, that he was grateful that his reputation had been restored after the ruling by the Speaker of Parliament, Prof Mike Oquaye.

“I thank my constituents, chiefs and all who stood by me and had faith in my integrity… I thank all Ghanaians, many of whom stood by me, prayed for me and prayed with me,” he said.

The Joe Ghartey Committee, in its report, said it found no evidence to support allegations of bribery made by Bawku Central MP Mahama Ayariga.

The Committee came to the conclusion that Mr Ayariga failed to prove that Mr Boakye Agyarko, the Energy Minister, gave money to Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu, Chairman of the Appointments Committee, to be distributed to committee members with a view to bribing them to approve his nomination (by consensus).

Presenting the report of the committee to the House, Mr Joe Ghartey, the Chairman of the Committee, said Mr Ayariga failed to adduce any evidence to substantiate his bribery claim.

“Everything he said was nothing more than rumours," Mr Ghartey said, adding: “Multiplicity of rumours does not constitute a fact.”

Prof Oquaye, has granted pardon to Mr Ayariga after he was found guilty of contempt of parliament by the five-member Joe Ghartey committee.

He was of the view that he was satisfied with the outcome of the inquest even though he had sought to go to court, explaining: “You go to court to redeem your image and in the end it is the same thing you get here (parliament). …There was no evidence that I did anything wrong and for me that is what is important.”

He, however, indicated that “the integrity of parliament has been put in tatters and falls on all of us to work to redeem that”.