The Leadership of Parliament will on Tuesday meet the Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga over bribery claims against the Minister of Energy, Boakye Agyarko.
The Majority Leader in Parliament and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu told Onua FM’s Yen Sempa hosted by Bright Asempa Monday that the leadership of the house has decided to meet the honourable MP tomorrow Tuesday January 31, 2017 to ascertain the truth in the allegations.
He said in Twi: “I know you want to speak to me about the allegations against the Energy Minister but leadership have decided to meet honourable Mahama Ayariga tomorrow and until then, I don’t want to make a comment on the issue. Thank you”.
Background
A member of the Minority in Parliament, Mahama Ayariga, accused the then Minister Nominee for Energy, Boakye Agyarko of attempting to bribe them, to have his nomination approved.
The allegation comes hours after the Minority had refused to support the approval of Boakye Agyarko and Osafo Maafo as Senior Minister-designate, after raising concerns over some statements the two made before the committee.
A member of the Appointment’s Committee, Mahama Ayariga, who made the allegation, said Mr. Agyarko attempted bribing them with 3,000 cedis.
The Bawku Central legislator believes the money was specifically intended to influence the minority to approve Agyarko’s nomination.
“This [Friday] morning, we had a meeting and during the meeting, we raised the issue with our Chief Whip and asked him what was the source of the money and he said he was going to check from the Chairman because he had also assumed that it was the sitting allowance that he had given him to give to us. So he raised the issue this morning again and he said he had met with the Chairman, and the Chairman had said it was from Boakye Agyarko, who is a nominee. So we as Minority said we were not interested in the money. He should take the money and then return it to the Chairman to give it back to Agyarko. So we gave the money back to our Chief Whip and asked him to send it back to give it to Mr. Agyarko.”
The Minority Chief Whip has since denied giving money to Mr. Ayariga from the Chairman of the Appointments Committee.
By Kweku Antwi-Otoo|Onua 95.1FM|3news