NPP MPs Received $5,000 Not GH�5,000 Bribe-- Appiah Ofori

New Patriotic Party (NPP), MP for the Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa constituency in the Central Region, Hon. Paul Collins Appiah-Ofori, is a very piqued and an incensed man. His anger stems from the fact that he believes he has been largely misrepresented and his credibility dented, following media reports that he made a quick turnaround, when confronted by the party�s National Disciplinary Committee, after alleging that some NPP MP were handed a substantial $5,000 for okaying the sale of 70% Ghana Telecom shares to Vodafone. �I am indignant, I�m angry� what kind of garbage is this�� he spewed out angrily. Speaking on PEACEFM�S �Kokrokoo�, the embittered MP said the Committee's letter was full of inaccuracies, hence his denial. �Kwami, you will recall that when this issue of $5,000 came up, you called me on this very station�I have never said anywhere under the sun that NPP MPs took GH�5,000�never said anywhere, what I have said is that NPP MPs who were in the chamber of the House during the final vote for the Vodafone deal were given $5,000, that was what I said,� he stressed. Today�s edition of the Daily Guide, an Accra-based newspaper, published that �Appiah-Ofori had been invited to appear before the National Disciplinary Committee of NPP to clarify allegations he had levelled against his colleagues in the Fourth Parliament of the Fourth Republic, claiming that each of them had taken a bribe of GH�5,000 before agreeing to vote for the sale of government�s 70 percent shares in GT to Vodafone last year.� �However, replying to the invitation in a letter dated August 28, 2009, which is in the possession of Daily Guide, the Asikuma/Odoben/Barkwa MP categorically denied making such allegations against his colleagues following a formal complaint lodged by Hon. Fredrick Opare-Ansah, MP for Suhum and Minority Chief Whip.� But a clearly livid Appiah-Ofori, contended that he was only responding to the content of Hon. Opare-Ansah�s letter of complaint to the Disciplinary Committee dated August 24,2009 which claimed that the NPP MPs had taken a bribe of GH�5,000. ��The Chairman of the Communications Committee who moved the motion�Kojo Armah, was not even given his share because he had gone out to urinate at that time. He can attest to this, since he complained bitterly to then Chief of Staff, Kwadwo Mpiani, who disbursed the money,� he said. Hon. P.C. Appiah-Ofori, further stated in the interview on �Kokrokoo� that, he has a �list of all the MP�s who received the $5, 000,� but is �not ready to publish it until the NPP�s Disciplinary Committee invites him to substantiate the allegation.� But reacting on the same subject on PEACEFM�s �Kokrokoo�, the Director of Communications at the NPP Headquarters, Kwaku Kwarteng, reasons that the Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa MP �is using semantics to duck the issue under contention.� �There is a need to query him (by the NPP)�he is using some technicalities�he is playing on words and failing to address the real issue,� he stated.