[ 2017-02-20 ]

Mahama Ayariga

Ayariga holds stance on bribery allegation, says Muntaka told him it was bribe
Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama
Ayariga, says he still stands by the bribery
allegation he made against the parliament’s
Appointments Committee, and explained it was all
based on what the minority chief whip, Alhaji
Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka told him.

Mr Ayariga had accused the then minister-designate
for Energy, Boakye Agyarko, of attempting to bribe
some members of the Appointments Committee to
approve his nomination. He claimed the minority
members of the Committee were given GHC3,000 each.


The accused has since denied the allegation.
Taking his turn Monday at the ad hoc committee of
Parliament investigating the allegation, Mr
Ayariga who waved his right of counsel said he
never dealt directly with Mr Agyarko and the
Chairman of the Appointments Committee, Joseph
Osei-Owusu “I never dealt with the chairman of
the committee either on the issue of the money.

As I indicated, it was our whip who asked us to
come and take it…He was the one we asked to find
us the source and he was the one who told us the
things that I said on air,” Mr Ayariga told the
ad hoc committee. Mr Ayariga had told the
Committee that they requested to be given sitting
allowances in view of the long hours they had to
sit to which the chairman of the Appointments
Committee promised to work on.

According to Mr Ayariga they later received money
from Alhaji Muntaka believing it was sitting
allowance but rumours emerged that it was a bribe
from Mr Agyarko to facilitate his approval by the
minority who had taken a hard stance against his
nomination as Energy Minister.

“It started first as rumours and so we asked for
an investigation. We asked our minority whip to
and check and then come back and report to us.

More soon

Source - 3news.com

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