We Insist On Independent Probe Into Bribery Allegation

The alleged bribery scandal that has hit Parliament seems to be getting out of hand. From Friday to Sunday when the news broke, it was Mr. Mahama Ayariga, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bawku Central, who was running the show.

But, yesterday, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Member of Parliament for North Tongu, and Inusa Fuseini, who represents the people of Tamale Central in the august house, also joined the fray.

According to Okudzeto Ablakwa, it was true that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Chief Whip, Alhaji Muntakah Mohammed, gave them GH¢3,000 each, but when they got to know that the money was coming from Mr. Boakye Agyarko, Minister of Energy, they decided to return it.

He told Adom FM yesterday that when he went to Muntakah's office to give back the money to him, a colleague member on the Appointment Committee, Nii Lantey Vanderpuiye, was there, and that the latter could testify that the money was given back to their leader. Mr. Ayariga had earlier told Ghanaians that he had also returned the money to Muntakah.

A careful study of Muntakah’s defence indicates that he is not denying knowledge of the alleged bribe in its entirety. His position is that he never handed over money to Ayariga and his colleagues claiming that it was coming from the Chairman of the Appointment Committee, Mr. Joe Osei Owusu. The Asawase MP confirmed the earlier claim by Ayariga that they (minority members on the committee) met and took a decision not to collect money from anyone.

The big question is: were members of the Appointment Committee taking money from the nominees who appeared before them previously, but have now decided not to continue with the practice? As the adage goes, there is no smoke without fire.

The Akans also have the saying that when a frog comes from under water to tell you that the crocodile is dead, you dare not challenge him (frog).

Mahama Ayariga, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, and Alhaji Sayibu Suhini are all members of Parliament, and if they have gone public that they have been bribed, why would the public dismiss such an allegation?

As we noted in this column yesterday, Parliament has been clothed with powers to investigate some of these allegations, but to ensure transparency in the whole process, we reiterate our call on the leadership to allow an independent body probe the scandal.

Because of public interest in the case, apart from confirming what Ayariga is alleging, no other report, no matter how genuine it is, would be accepted by the public.

Professor Mike Oquaye's leadership must, therefore, make an official complaint to the Commission of Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) for the constitutional body to begin a full scale investigations into the case.

The alleged bribery, if true, is a complete indictment on all Ghanaians, because MPs are the representatives of the people. As we noted yesterday, this is also not the first time this sort of allegation is being made. Mr. P.C. Appiah Ofori, a former member of the House, Algban Bagbin, the current Second Deputy Speaker, and Mr Martin Amidu, a former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, had all made similar allegations in the past, but they were swept under the carpet.

The Chronicle does not want to see the situation where investors and the international community would have the allusion that in Ghana it is easy to bribe MPs for business favours.

MPs are called honorable, because they are supposed to live with certain bench marks, and certainly allowing themselves to be bribed is not one of the bench marks. It is based on this that The Chronicle is suggesting an independent body to either nail or clear the MPs from any wrongdoing.

This would set the minds of Ghanaians at ease, instead of making the usual noise and allow the allegation to die a natural death.