Bribery scandal: Committee to present final report on Wednesday

The Committee investigating the bribery scandal against the Chairman and some members of Parliament’s Appointments Committee is expected to present its final report on the case next Wednesday.

This is according to a statement signed by acting Director of Public Affairs of Parliament, Kate Addo.

The statement further revealed that the Committee rounded off its work with evidence from three more witnesses.

The release of the report delayed after a Member of the House applied to provide fresh evidence on the matter to the Committee.

This was after the Committee was just about to wrap up on its investigations.

The second Deputy Majority Whip, Matthew Nyindam, who had earlier confirmed the development to Citi News, said although the deadline for the submission of the report was due, the Committee would still have to take the evidence of the interested party to prevent suspicion of bias.

“We met last week on a business issue and I raised that issue with the majority leader, and I asked him when this Joe Ghartey thing will be ready, because the public is interested, we are also interested as a house because it is an alleged issue and we all have to clear it. According to the leader, a member said he has some kind of evidence to tender in so they have to hold on for him to bring it so that it doesn't look like somebody is fighting against the other.”

Various civil society groups and individuals are mounting pressure on the committee to release the report on the matter which many say, has dented the image of the legislative body.

Dr. Rashid Raman, the Executive Director of the Africa Center for Parliamentary Affairs, has said that the longer the delay in the release of the report, the more likely Ghanainas will doubt the accuracy of the findings when eventually published.

The 5-member Committee was set up following allegations that the Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko, bribed some members of the Appointments Committee.

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By: Duke Mensah Opoku/citifmonline.com/Ghana