Bribery saga will strengthen parliament’s committees – Chaie

Ghana’s parliament should use the bribery allegations against the leadership of the Appointments Committee to strengthen the parliamentary committees and forestall measures to prevent such occurrences, that is if it did occur, Theophilus Tetteh Chaie, former Member of Parliament for Ablekuma Central, has said.

Speaking on TV3’s New Day on Saturday, April 1, he said: “What has just occurred should rather be a guide for us as a nation or as parliament to try and put in measures that will prevent those things from occurring.

“This matter is not only about the truth. You should also try and add fact and that will make your case acceptable, but in this case, Ayariga was not able to support his case with evidence.”

The Ghartey Committee was tasked to investigate the bribery claim made by Bawku Central MP Mahama Ayariga against the leadership of the Appointments Committee.

In its 56-page report, the committee said it “came to the firm conclusion that Mr Mahama Ayariga is in contempt of parliament on the strength of Article 122 of the 1992 Constitution, section 32 of the Parliament Act, 1965 (Act 300) and Orders 28 and 30 (2) of the Standing Orders of Parliament”.

The Committee said it “came to this conclusion because Mr Mahama Ayariga failed to prove that indeed Hon Boakye Agyarko [Energy Minister] gave money to Hon Joseph Osei-Owusu [Chairman of the Appointments Committee] to be distributed to the members of the Appointments Committee with a view to bribe them”, as alleged by Mr Ayariga in an interview he granted Radio Gold.

The Committee has, thus, recommended that having established a case of contempt against Mr Ayariga as well as having examined the sanctions regime available, recommends to the house the following:

1. That the Hon member for Bawku Central Mr Mahama Ayariga, be reprimanded by the Rt Hon Speaker in accordance with section 35 of the Parliament Act, 1965 (300)

2. That Mr Mahama Ayariga render an unqualified apology to the House, purging himself of contempt.

The five-member ad-hoc committee chaired by Essikado Ketan MP Joe Ghartey said it “took notice of the fact that the Hon Mahama Ayariga is not known to have engaged in acts that tend to disrupt the smooth proceedings of parliament. Neither does he have a penchant nor reputation of engaging in activities which can bring the image and dignity of parliament into disrepute. Accordingly, we view the recommendation relating to the sanctions adequate in the circumstances.”