Parliament has set up a five-member internal Committee to probe the bribery allegations involving Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko and some leaders of the House.
Speaker of Parliament, Professor Mike Oquaye approved an in-house Committee after a proposal by the Majority leader, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu for a Committee to established.
Earlier, there were suggestions that the matter should be referred to the Priveleges Committee of the Legislative House but the Speaker upheld the proposal for the proposed Committee to launch investigations into the issue, explaining that the allegations of corruption is beyond the reach of the privileges.
He also referred to Standing Order 191 of Parliament, stating emphatically that the order “should also put to rest whether Parliament can inquire into matter A or matter B anytime in the history of this Republic. Parliament, as the representative of the people, is empowered inherently and is recognized in this particular part of our Standing Orders to inquire into any matter from archaeology to zoology, within the republic of Ghana.”
Parliament's Standing Order 191 establishes that Parliament may at any time, by motion, constitute a special committee to probe matters of public importance.
“Parliament has the power to set up a special committee to investigate into a matter that is of public interest and under that order, I will rule that it is fit and proper for such a committee to be set up accordingly into this matter of public interest,” the Speaker stated.
Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi /Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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THE WHOLE SAGA APPEARS TO BE LIKE A CONCERT. WHY SHOULD AGYARKO GIVE A BRIBE AND WHY SHOULD OSEI OWUSU ENCOURAGED IT. THAT WOULD BE THE MOST STUPIDD THING TO DO WHEN AGYARKO COULD BE APPROVED ALL THE SAME WITHOUT A BRIBE. I CANNOT IMAGINE HOW THIS CAN BE TRUE BUT IF IT CAN BE PROVEN THEN AGYAREKO OR OSEI OWUSU SHOULD NOT BE SPARED. THAT WOULD MEAN THAT THEY WERE NOT ONLY CORRUPT BUT INCAPABLE OF GOOD JUDGEMENT FOR THAT BRIBERY WOULD BE UNNECESSARY TO ACHIEVE ANY GOAL. ANOTHER SCHOOL OF THOUGHT WAS SOME PEOPLE IN NPP TESTING CHARACTER OF THE OPPOSITION MPS? THAT WOULD BE GOOD IDEA. BUT HOW COULD THAT BE SUBSTANTIATED AND PROVEN TO THE PUBLIC WITHOUT LABELING ALL POLITICIANS TO BE CORRUPT. THE ALLEGATION MIGHT BE FALSE AND IF THAT COULD BE PROVEN THEN THE PERPETRATORS OF SUCH FALSEHOOD SHOULD BE MADE TO COMPENSATE DAMAGES AND HARM THEY HAVE CAUSED TO INNOCENT PERSONS. IT MIGHT ALSO BE THE WORK OF NDC PARTY INTENDED TO DIVERT ATTENTION FROM CORRUPTION IN MAHAMA GOVERNMENT WHICH ARE COMING OUT EVERYDAY. ONE MUST NOT FORGET ABOUT THE RECENT MEETING OF MAHAMA AND THE NDC MPS AND ALSO THE STORY OF BUGRI NAABU. THE ARCHITECTS OF SUCH FABRICATION MIGHT HAVE CHOSEN PARLIAMENT BECAUSE OF THE PRIVILEGES OF PARLIAMENTARIANS.
Is funny, how NPP party sympathizers are responding to the issue here. you find it easy to prescribe what should happen to Ayariga should his claim be false and have totally remain silence on prescribing punishment for Agyarko if it is establish that he actually gave out money. this is what I call politically motivated argument
Cover up!
Boakye Agyarko should not get anywhere close to any appointment again if it turns out to true but if it is false, Allah! Ayariga must be out of parliament without delay and jailed for life.
This parliamentary inquiry is not the cure for this serious allegation at all. The NP's involve should waive their parliamentary rights voluntary so the accused can proceed to court to give the accusers the right to proof their case in an open court not under the control of parliament. I understand parliament has the constitutional right to investigate itself but this issue has a national interest which shouldn't be swept under the carpet for the interest of parliament alone. We need to get to the bottom of this because it might be the tip of something big parliament is hiding. We always hear allegations about MP's taking bribes before a lone is approved. We also, hear about allegations about the various committee members taking bribes before ministries, departments and agencies budgets are approved. Is a case of, "BE TU NSA" or "BE YE AMAMEMRE" known in parliament? We need to get to the bottom period and see what is out there the parliament may be trying to water down and hide.
1) The members must not be MPs. 2) They must be experienced persons of high repute 3) They must not be made public. Their personalities should be known only to those from whom they would require information and persons of interest. 4) The report must be submitted to parliament and to the media. 5) Recommendations must be implemented immediately. Somehow I believe Ayariga and his colleagues have some credible information. Lets do the right thing. ''Veritas praevalebit''
There is no wisdom in this for the reason being even if the Minority on the Vetting Committee does not approve Agyarko's nomination, it will go to the floor of parliament for deliberation and voting. Now, what is the number of the minority compared to the Majority? At the end of the day there is no way the Minority could prevent Agyarko from becoming the substantive minister. So why would he want to give Bribe? IT'S A TOTAL LIE. Mahama Ayariga started it and he wanted to backtrack and they saw that it was gaining roots, so Okudzato the Kwasiato also joined. Look at the people Okudzato is calling as witnesses; Nii Lantey and the likes. Okudzato said he met Mahama Ayariga going to Muntaka's office so he took that of Ayariga and met Nii Lantey at Muntaka's Office. F00OOLISH Talk. Even kids can tell you are lying. Muntaka knows they are being F00OLISH that's why dissociated himself from it. You guys are not wise because the angle with which you want to pay Agyarko back is so full of flaws. For that Ayariga I don't know whether he's got any brains up there.
These peacefmomline reporters need to go back to oo toonnn!!! Their only reportage worth reading is when the copy and paste. It's too bad the other websites don't give frequent news. And besides, some of us simply love peacefm and anything associated with it due to the exploits of Chairman General. How can you write a report like this without naming the members of the committee and their terms of reference. This is too low Mr Amayaw Adu Gyamfi
Does parliament have the power to sanction members who lie under oath?