Parliament bribery allegation: OccupyGhana calls for police probe

Pressure group, OccupyGhana has called for an independent police investigation into the bribery allegation surrounding Parliament’s Appointments Committee.

The group is further calling for criminal prosecution of anyone found culpable in the bribery scandal, as well as possibly criminal sanctions for those making the allegations if they prove to be false.

Member of the Appointments Committee and Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga last Friday accused the Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko of offering minority members of the committee with GH¢3,000 each.

According to him, the money was given to the minority chief whip, Mubarak Muntaka by the chairman of the committee, Joseph Osei-Owusu; an allegation the two have denied.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, OccupyGhana noted that the latest allegation were disturbing as Parliament has been embroiled in similar allegations.

It said the allegation should not be disregarded and called on the Police Criminal Investigative Department (CID) to investigate and establish the truth or otherwise in the matter.

Below is the full statement from OccupyGhana

OCCUPYGHANA® CALLS FOR POLICE PROBE INTO PARLIAMENTARY BRIBERY ALLEGATIONS

OccupyGhana® has observed with increasing unease, allegations and denials of corruption making the trade between Members of the Ghanaian Parliament’s Appointments Committee.

Having been profoundly disturbed by the exposés of palpable judicial corruption in Ghana's courts, and working tirelessly over the space of our existence to help stamp out corruption in executive governance and in public service, we are unhappy about the allegations of parliamentary corruption and bribery being made by MPs against some of their number and others.

We are disturbed by the allegations of parliamentary rot and corruption by credible persons of the Ghanaian society against various other Committees selected to work on Bills such as the GIMPA Act, going as far as to accuse MPs of demanding bribes and payments before sitting on bills. We recall Parliament’s abject failure, refusal or neglect to investigate allegations of corruption made against its members by the immediate past Majority Leader, just before his elevation to that high office.

The present allegations of bribery are grave and sobering and impinge on the integrity not only of Parliament but also of the image of the Ghanaian Republic. These allegations must not be glossed over and brushed under the carpet by the usually lackadaisical or complicit workings of partisan politics.

We call for an independent Police investigation into the damning allegations and a no-holds-barred criminal prosecution of anyone found to be on the wrong side of Ghanaian law in this scandalous development. In the same vein, we demand the harshest of parliamentary and possibly criminal sanctions for those making the allegations if they prove to be false. We respectfully call on the Police CID to immediately empanel a team to commence investigations and establish the truth, or the lack thereof, in any part of the nation-wrecking allegations.

We absolutely refuse to allow Ghana's Parliament to either add itself to the list of the country’s most corrupt institutions or become a citadel of false allegations, and our demand for this probe will settle the matter of whether or not our legislative arm of government can be trusted to uphold the rule of Law in the Ghanaian Republic.

Yours, in the perpetual Service for God & Country