By Gifty Boateng
The Majority in Parliament has on the day the house resumed from recess boldly declared its intention and commitment to pursue accountability in public office, especially with regards to alleged misconducts.
The aim, The New Republic gathered, is to restore public confidence in governance which they see as eroded over the period.
Chief on the list is the popular Operation Recover All Loots (ORAL), instituted by the current government, to retrieve moneys and properties acquired wrongly by the previous government officials and their cohorts.
“We will also summon Operation Recover All Loots (ORAL) for briefings, particularly on the 36 financial cases worth over $20 billion financial case, including land related fraud amounting to over $700 million”, the group has said.
Leader of the Caucus and Member of Parliament (MP) for Bawku Central constituency Mahama Ayariga, said the house will be investigating a number of unresolved and controversial issues that occurred under the watch of the previous government.
It is the contention of the caucus that, these cases were not thoroughly investigated and conclusions made hence the need to revisit them.
Speaking on the floor of the house Ayariga said “During this sitting, the Majority Caucus will steer ahead a rigorous pursuit of accountability in Ghana’s public financial management”.
“We will demand full-scale parliamentary investigation into the handling of COVID-19 expenditure to ensure transparency in how emergency funds were utilized”, he said on Tuesday May 27.
Aside that, Parliament, Ayariga said is going to reopen investigations into the controversial Agyapa Royalties deal, and seek a detailed update on the $190 million Power Distribution Services (PDS) scandal.
“This House will revisit the unresolved Agyapa Royalties deal and require a detailed update in the $190 million PDS scandal.
Additionally, this house will revisit the unresolved Agyapa Royalties deal and require a detail report of how 190 million PDS scandal a case of alleged fraud in power distribution that caused Ghana dearly under the previous administration”, the Majority Leader submitted.
The side also said, they are going to launch an investigation into the convenient and abuse use of sole sourcing of public contracts. In the view of the Majority caucus, these topical corruption and corruption related cases need to be looked in so finality will be brought to continue to have the trust of the citizens.
“Furthermore, we will launch a comprehensive inquiry into the rampant sole sourcing practices of the past government exposing how recklessness in contracting bled the nation’s coffers while enriching a select few politically connected individuals.
The gravest danger to our democracy is impunity. If we fail to hold those responsible for this brazen plunder of public resources accountable, we betray the trust of every Ghanaian who demands justice”. This house will ensure that the era of financial recklessness is met with certain and unwavering consequence.”
He also touched on the controversial Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) missing containers saying before they went on break, they were briefed and promised a thorough probe by the Minister for Energy and Green Transition John Abdulai Jinapor.
The MP intimated that the $250 million Bank of Ghana (BoG) new headquarters also known as the Bank Square at Ridge will also be looked at by Parliament.
“This house will thoroughly investigate this matter during the sitting to ensure accountability and justice. The hardworking citizens of Ghana who took to the streets to protest against such blatant mismanagement of public funds deserve answers, their voices must not be ignored, and sacrifices must not be in vain” Ayariga who led his side in 2023 to demonstrate against the facility said.
He said Parliament will seek regular briefings and updates from the Attorney General and Minister for Justice Dr Dominic Ayine about ongoing cases and extend same to the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).