Sam George Defends NLA ‘Loot’

Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo-Prampram in the Greater Accra Region, Samuel Nartey George, has kicked against calls for independent probe into the bribery allegation involving Members of the Finance Committee of parliament.

Head of Legal Department at the National Lottery Authority (NLA), David Lamptey, is said to have requested then Director General of the Authority, Brigadier General Martin Ahiaglo (Rtd) to authorise the release of GH¢150,000 to facilitate passage of the amendments in the NLA Act 722, in 2016.

In an email intercepted by Joy FM, Mr. Lamptey indicated that the funds were intended to be used to “push” the bill to ensure its smooth passage by the legislature.

Former chair of the Committee, James Klutse Avedzi, admitted receiving the money but maintained that he received only GH¢100,000 from the NLA and not GH¢150,000.

The Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) and Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) in a joint statement issued last Thursday, called for an independent probe into the supposed bribery scandal that has hit parliament and the lottery authority.

However, speaking to Joy Fm, Sam George asserted that since the bill was not passed into law, the claim that the said money was used to induce the committee members is unfounded.

According to him, “The environment we've created gives room for people to make speculations,” that MPs are corrupt.

He rather said the gesture by the NLA could best be described as lobbying as it is the case in western countries, instead of likening it to bribery.

“In the west they have groups that are officially recognized as lobbyists. So if there are lobbyists who are beginning to emerge in Ghana who have a certain policy direction and they think that the way to go is to get legislation by lobbying parliament [then] why do they call it corruption?”

However, his colleague MP for Tamale Central, Inusah Fuseini, has stated that the development “has actually cast a negative image on parliament.”

Speaking on Joy FM's weekly news analysis programme Newsfile on Saturday, Mr. Fuseini yielded to the call for a probe.

“I am tempted to support the need for investigation into the case,” he posited.

Mr Frseini, former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources in the erstwhile John Mahama administration, questioned why the MPs agreed to the NLA's decision to organise the workshop at Senchi and receive money while “the very sitting you are having, parliament recognizes it and you are paid allowance.”