Muntaka tears down ad hoc committee report

The Minority Chief Whip of the Parliament of Ghana, Muntaka Muhammad Mubarak, has stated that the legislative arm of government has lost another golden opportunity to redeem its image.

He said this in reaction to the final report of the ad hoc committee tasked to investigate allegations of monies paid by expatriate business owners at the Ghana Expatriates Business Awards (GEBA) to sit near President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

The Asawase Member of Parliament said the outcome of the report and the attitude of the chairman of the five-member committee is sad for Ghana’s democracy.

According to him, in other jurisdictions such as in the US, it is the committees of Parliament that take matters of public concern seriously and investigate with no partisan interest.

At that stage, they know that they are serving the people and not the executive, he said.

Alhaji Muntaka lamented that Parliament continues to fail each time there is an opportunity to defend the public in matters against the executive.

Speaking in an interview on Onua FM’s Yensempa on Wednesday, Alhaji Muntaka said Parliament has shown no shame because it is clear that the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Millennium Excellent Foundation (MEF) connived to mislead the committee.

He wondered why the Ministry initially denied the allegation of some businessmen paying as much as $100,000 as it came up during the public hearing by the ad hoc committee.

“But the report does not capture that,” he said in Akan. “So what report did they present?” he quizzed.

He noted that anybody who reads between the lines will know who is a credible witness in the matter.

He said the Minority will not accept the report of the committee because it only represents one side of the committee.

He reiterated that the only way the Minority will accept the report is when it includes the view and contribution of the Minority representatives on the committee.

Alhaji Muntaka seconded by MP for North Tongu Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa moved the motion in Parliament for the investigation to be conducted.

The two are the only MPs who appeared before the committee.