Bribery scandal: MPs In Crunch Meeting

Both Majority and Minority caucuses of parliament have been locked up in a crunch meeting over the bribery scandal which has hit the Appointments Committee of the house.

The meetings are a precursor to parliament’s hearing of a petition filed by three Minority MPs: Mahama Ayariga, Alhassan Suhuyini, and Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa in connection with the scandal.

Mr Ayariga on Friday accused Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko – prior to his approval as minister – of attempting to bribe Minority MPs on the Appointments Committee with a cash of GHS3000 each so they could pass him without further delay.

He claimed Mr Agyarko, whose nomination had been put on hold pending the determination of certain issues, channelled the bribe through the Chair of the Appointments Committee, Joseph Osei-Owusu, and subsequently through Minority Chief Whip Muntaka Mubarak.

Mr Agyarko, Mr Osei-Owusu, and Mr Muntaka have all denied there was any such bribery attempt. However, Mr Ayariga and his two colleagues insist there was and have requested that the Speaker launch a full-scale probe into the matter.