Parliament’s Appointments Committee will vet three more ministerial nominees today [Tuesday].
They are the Minister nominee for Lands and Forestry, John Peter Amewu, Minister nominee for Works and housing, Samuel Atta Akyea and the Minister nominee for Employment and Labour Relations Ignatius Baffour Awuah.
Parliament will also, later today, resume sitting following a weekend of orientation for new members and accusations of bribery.
On Friday evening, the House held an induction seminar in Koforidua to tutor new MPs on the rules and procedures that govern Parliament.
The Seminar followed the raging issue of alleged bribery to the minority MPs on the appointment committee to facilitate the approval of Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko; a claim that has been denied.
A formal statement on the matter is expected to be made on the floor and the Speaker, Prof Mike Oquaye, has been requested to institute in an independent enquiry into the allegations of bribery made first by MP for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga.
Mr. Ayariga alleged that the purported bribe money was given to the Minority Chief Whip, Mubarak Mohammed Muntaka by the Chairman of the Appointments Committee, Joseph Osei-Owusu for onward disbursement to the Minority members of the committee.
Mr. Ayariga, along with two other Minority members of the Appointments Committee; Alhassan Suhuyini and Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, MPs for Tamale North and North Tongu, further wrote to the Speaker of Parliament calling for a thorough investigation of the bribery claims against the Mr. Agyarko.
Although the Chief Whip and the Chairman have denied the claims, the Mr. Ayariga has insisted he is certain about the allegations.
The Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has indicated that it will allow Parliament to conduct a full-scale investigation into an bribery scandal that has hit the Appointments Committee.
The Commissioner of CHRAJ, Joseph Whittal who made the revelation was, however, quick to add that the Commission will monitor the investigations closely to ensure that there is transparency.
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