Go and sin no more - Speakers tells Mahama Ayariga

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Bawku Central, Mr Mahama Ayariga, has rendered an unqualified apology to Parliament to purge himself of the contempt charge against him, but the Speaker cautioned him not to go on that tangent again.

Commenting on Mr Ayariga’s apology, the Speaker, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, said "If it should be repeated, you will have yourself to blame.

The special committee that investigated the allegation of bribery he made against the Chairman and some members of the Appointments Committee of Parliament (ACP) established that the allegation was not true and recommended that Mr Ayariga should be made to apologise.

But the apology that Mr Ayariga earlier offered on the floor of the House in the following words "If you say I apologise, I apologise" was deemed to be a qualified apology.

At the sitting of Parliament last Friday, Mr Ayariga read a written apology, which said "I render an unqualified apology to this House."

Speaker's caution

The Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, said such allegations had the tendency to impugn the integrity of the House.

He said Mr Ayariga had been shown mercy this time around, but "If it should be repeated, you will have yourself to blame."

 Joe Ghartey committee

Parliament set up the five-member ad hoc committee on January 31, 2017 to investigate the allegation that each member of the Appointments Committee was given GH¢3,000 bribe by Mr Boakye Agyarko to facilitate his approval as Energy Minister.

The committee was chaired by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP for Esikadu/Ketan and former Second Deputy Speaker, Mr Joe Ghartey, with Mr Ben Abdallah Banda, MP for Offinso South (NPP); Ms Ama Pomaa Boateng, MP for Juaben (NPP); the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP for Yilo Krobo, Mr Magnus Kofi Amoatey, and Mr Benson Tongo Baba, MP for Talensi (NDC), as members.

The terms of reference of the committee was to investigate the allegation that the Chairman of the ACP, Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu, took money from the then Minister designate for Energy, Mr Agyarko, and gave same to the Minority Chief Whip and Deputy Ranking member on the committee, Alhaji Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, to be given to the Minority members on the committee.

It was also to inquire whether attempts had been made to bribe members of the ACP and also look into any related matters.

Findings

The committee concluded that the then Minister of Energy designate, Mr Boakye Agyarko, had not given any money to Mr Osei-Owusu to be given to the Minority Chief Whip, Alhaji Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, for the purpose of bribing members of the ACP.

Besides, it said, there was no attempt to bribe members of the ACP.