MPs, Vodafone $5,000 Bribery Saga

Kufour Mentioned

The raging saga of five thousand (5,000) dollar bribery allegations leveled against the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Minority Members of Parliament by the anti-corruption crusader, P.C. Appiah-Ofori, MP for Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa Constituency in the Central Region, has assumed a very interesting development as more people have waded in the controversial debate.

Among those who have joined the debate are Chris Ackumey, Lawyer Bright Akwetey and Lawyer Kweku Mortey. These legal practitioners have described the issue as too frightening and critical to be swept under the carpet, calling on the government to act quickly to save the country’s image before the International Community reads any other meaning into it.

Mr. Mortey, one of the fine legal brains in Ghana, was very decisive about the issue, suggesting that former President John Agyekum Diawuo Kufour be made to answer questions on why he failed to act on the matter when the MP had notified him about the alleged nefarious deal.

He maintained, “I think President Kufour needs to be brought to explain issues to us. If he wasn’t briefed, then President Kufour was very negligent whilst running the country. If he was but did not take any action that is another matter. Either, the former President needs to come and talk on this matter and tell Ghanaians what he did about it.”

According to him, the matter needed not be limited to only Parliament since it included the presidency. He described the issue as so potent that it can destroy the reputation of the country if it is left in the hands of Parliament alone to handle.

On telephone interview on Radio Gold, an Accra-based radio station, newspaper review segment, Wednesday, July 8, 2009, Mr. Mortey, a leading member of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), also argued that the issue goes beyond mere allegations of bribery and corruption and that the issues ought to be examined critically to clear the minds of the people.

He said, “I think the issues should go beyond Parliamentary Privileges Committee Matters. We should go into the root as to why no action was taken by the former President to investigate such a serious and important matter.

I heard others; Chris Ackummey, lawyer Bright Akwetey's sayings, but it should not be limited to perceptions of bribery and corruption. There should be broader investigations to even know why the system failed.

Parliament is such an important organ of our country. It is the one making our laws to regulate our democracy and to rule us so if somebody comes to say functions of Parliament are being undermined, we don’t just say please withdraw it, it will embarrass us.”

Read excerpts of the interview:

“Where are your hypotheses?”Alhassan Suhini asked.

Response: “You see, I think that if we don’t do this whatever Parliament does will be seen as whitewash and the credibility of the house will be damaged and foundations of democracy will suffer very serious shocks.”

“What is your guess that the Executive didn’t take any action on the serious allegation?” Suhini pressed further.

Response: “You know the former Chief of Staff said it would embarrass them. My question is why will he say it will embarrass them if there is no truth in it? There are issues we all really need to be made to understand.”

“Interaction was between the former Chief of Staff and P.C. Appiah-Offori. Where does the President come in?”Suhini sounded inquisitive.

Response: “My understanding is that the letter was addressed to the presidency, therefore if the Chief of Staff hijacked it, former President Kufour should come and tell us and then we will ask the former Chief of Staff questions.

One assumes that in any case former Chief of Staff shouldn’t be acting on his own and that President Kufour should be briefed on such important fundamental issues that touch on our lives.

There are facts that are established now at least what is in the press. First one is that there were allegations of $5000, second that, the report was made to the Presidency and third that what former Chief of Staff called the MP and said it would embarrass them so withdraw it.

Now what is the issue? First, His Excellency the former president has sworn to the Constitution of the law of Ghana. Second, Parliament, the august house, which is legally mandated to make laws for the country, then Honourable Member of the house writes to the Presidency that, look Mr. President there is bribery in the house as a result of which functions of Parliament are being undermined.

These are very serious and grave allegations that were made that touched the very foundations of our Constitution, our democracy and our lawmaking body that it's not to just call and say if you embarrass us we will expel you from the party.

We are trivializing the issue as if it was just an issue of the bribery. This touches on the very existence of our democracy and legality and so we shouldn’t just make it seems like it was a spurious allegation. I’m not saying it is a fact or not.

But if the Presidency receives allegations that the very foundation of legalities are being undermined, then we just go and sleep and call the one and say withdraw it. I think it is a very wrong approach. We shouldn’t just trivialize.”