Parliament to establish truth in bribery allegation by Bagbin
The leadership of Parliament has said it will do whatever is appropriate to elicit the truth in the allegations of receipt of bribes by Members of Parliament (MPs) made by the member for Nadowli/ Kaleo, Mr Alban S. Bagbin.
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It has also appealed to any member of the public who may have any evidence on an MP having received bribe to make it available to the Clerk of Parliament for onward transmission to the leadership.
Making a statement on the floor of Parliament yesterday, the Majority Leader, Dr Benjamin Bewa-Nyog Kunbuor, said the attention of the House had been drawn to the publication in the Daily Graphic of Monday, March 10, 2014, which had attracted public commentaries.
He said the House was not unaware of the fine line of distinction between lobbying and bribery, "especially in our case where there are no specified rules to govern such practice and has over the years cautioned members on their dealings with stakeholders. "
He recalled that the Speaker, Mr Edward Doe Adjaho, in his opening address at the first post-budget workshop for committee chairpersons, ranking members and some backbenchers of Parliament organised from March 6 to 8, 2013 in Koforidua, advised against the dependence of Parliamentary Committees and other stakeholders in the consideration and facilitation of parliamentary business.
Pursuant to that admonition, he said, the House on July 4, 2013 constituted a committee chaired by Mr Bagbin to draft a code of conduct for MPs .
The House, he said, was aware of the fact that the committee had held series of meetings and was in the process of finalising a report which was to be laid before the House.
Dr Kunbuor said it was in the interest of the country to help strengthen Parliament to perform its functions effectively and added that it was in that regard that the leadership of the House had taken particular interest in the allegations attributed to Mr Bagbin.
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He intimated that the House had tasked the leadership to engage Mr Bagbin on the matter and advise Parliament on what steps to take. Unfortunately, however, Mr Bagbin was out of the jurisdiction on official assignment.
He said the leadership, however, would engage him on the matter on his return.
"Leadership assures that whatever is appropriate would be done to elicit the truth in this matter and no effort would be spared in this regard.
Notwithstanding, leadership, pursuant to the mandate for the time being given by the House, appeals to any person who may have any evidence to present such information to the Clerk of Parliament for onward transmission to the leadership."
Minority Leader's comments
The Minority Leader, Mr Osei Kyei- Mensah-Bonsu, said the statement by Dr Kunbuor encapsulated the views of the entire membership on the issue and pleaded with the members to exercise " extreme circumspection" with regard to the matter.
He described Parliament as the "weakest link" in the scheme of governance in the country and added that it would be preposterous to add fuel to the public discourse some of which, in his opinion, was meant to scandalise the House.
" We want to get to the bottom of this matter but let us be circumspect and not play into the hands of persons who do not know how Parliament works," he said, and urged his colleagues to restrain themselves from further commenting on the matter until Mr Bagbin was heard.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said Parliament had oversight responsibility in respect of other arms of government to ensure value for money and if in pursuit of its duty it became compromised, it would not serve a useful purpose to continue to perform its duties.
He said it was important that Parliament set its House in order but needed to be armed with the facts first.
Mr Adjaho is confident
Mr Adjaho deferred further comments on the matter "until leadership advises us on the way forward."
He expressed confidence that the leadership of the House would pursue the matter to its logical conclusion and advise the House appropriately.