The Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, on Thursday announced that Parliament would investigate allegation of bribery levelled against a popular businessman.
“The alleged bribery has come to my notice and we will investigate to see if it is true and the motive behind it,” he said.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu gave the indication when he met the Parliamentary Press Corps, in Accra, as part of ‘meeting engagement’ with the corps.
The unnamed businessman was said to have attempted to financially induce Members of Parliament (MPs) of the Majority Caucus, who demanded the removal of the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, a fortnight ago, by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
According to the Majority Leader, who is also MP for Suame, only a holistic probe would ascertain the veracity or otherwise of the allegation.
He said that the decision to investigate the bribery claim, was not an insult to the integrity of those who made the allegation.
On the demand for the dismissal of the finance minister, Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said the demand has moved beyond the 80 MPs, who started the protest, and has now become the agenda of the entire Majority caucus.
He said that “at the caucus meeting [after the 80 MPs called for the dismissal of the finance minister], we aligned with the position of that group.
“It is no longer the cause of the 80 plus group. It is now the agenda of the entire caucus and we are having some discussions on that.”
The recent spiral depreciation of the Ghana Cedi and general developments within the economy, Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said was of great concern to the greater majority of members of the caucus and their constituents.
Spokesperson of the New Patriotic Party 80 MPs, who demanded the dismissal of Mr Ofori-Atta, MP for Asante-Akim North, Mr Andy Appiah-Kubi, told Accra based Joy Fm that the businessman was repelled because their request could not be influenced by money.
“We refunded it to him on the principle that we are not doing what we are doing for money. Because of that, we did not open the envelope to even know how much was in it,” he revealed.
“Notice is hereby served that until such persons as aforementioned are made to resign or removed from office, we members of the Majority caucus here in parliament will not participate in any business of government by or for the President [or] by any other minister,” the MP vowed.
The 80 MPs on October 25, 2022, cited allegations of conflict of interest, lack of confidence, and trust against the leadership of the finance ministry.
BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI
