We've vowed not to take bribes during vetting - Dep. Minority Whip

Members of the NDC on the Appointments Committee of Parliament say they have vowed not to take bribes to pass any of the nominees announced by President Akufo-Addo.

It comes on the back of accusations by some members of the NDC against their lawmakers on the committee of scheming to take bribes to pass the nominees.

The accusations have ruffled some of the lawmakers including North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and Ningo Prampram MP Samuel Dzata George.

Commenting on the development, deputy Minority whip Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe-Ghansah said the NDC lawmakers are aware of the sacrifices of their members and will not take it for granted.

“I think the members are screaming about the appointment committee but they should relax because we haven’t started yet. Nobody is going to take bribes from anybody. We have vowed not to take a penny from anybody because we know how people struggled to get us where we are. All we are saying is bring a petition if you feel someone is not qualified to be a minister and we’ll work on it,” she told Francis Abban on the Morning Starr Monday.

For his part, the Ningo Prampram MP took to Facebook and wrote: “It is annoying and irritating seeing the disparaging and demeaning commentary being propagated by members of the NDC against the Parliamentary Caucus of the Party reference the upcoming vetting process. The suggestion that we are a group of sell-outs who have no spine is insulting.

“All 137 of us in Parliament stood up to the excessive abuse of State Power by the Akufo-Addo regime and in the face of intimidation and threats won our Parliamentary seats for the Party. On the night of the 6th and 7th January, we again with unity of purpose put our lives at risk and successfully elected an NDC Speaker of Parliament. What more should the NDC MPs do before you our own recognise our sacrifice?

“Whatever inducement you think is being offered did not exist when we put Party first to elect a Speaker? Do you know the battles many members are having to fight today as a consequence of our actions on the night of the 7th January?”.