General News of Friday, 27 January 2017
Source: Myjoyonline.com
2017-01-27
Mahama Ayariga
Bawku Central Member of Parliament (MP), Mahama Ayariga has withdrawn bribery allegation he made against Energy Minister-designate, Boakye Agyarko Friday.
Chairman of Parliament’s Appointments Committee, Joseph Osei Owusu made this revelation to Joy News’ Parliamentary Correspondent, Joseph Gakpo.
The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament said the former Science and Technology Minister said he made the claim up to “level the playing field” because the nominee has impugned the reputation of former President John Mahama.
MP for Bawku Central Constituency, Mahama Ayariga has alleged on an Accra-based Radio Gold that Energy Minister-designate, Boakye Agyarko gifted the Committee the sum of GHC100,000.
He claimed National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs on the Committee were offered GHC3,000 each, but they rejected it after they were told of the giver.
Mr Agyarko’s approval together with Senior Minister-designate, Yaw Osafo Maafo has been scuttled by the NDC after some “inaccurate” information they provided the Committee.
Minority members of the Committee have requested the former Vice President of the Bank of New York to produce evidence to back some corruption allegations he made about former President John Mahama.
Mr Agyarko has also claimed World Bank had ‘breathed fire’ down the neck of the former Ghanaian leader to take a particular course of action.
When quizzed to substantiate the claim his explanation NDC members on the Committee found it unsatisfactory, triggering attempts to torpedo his approval.
The alleged money donated to the Committee was construed by NDC legislators as an attempt to buy their cooperation and bribe them to support his approval.
The Majority had challenged Mr Ayariga to produce evidence, but Mr Osei Owusu said the MP has withdrawn his statement and apologised.
