Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko has denied Mahama Ayariga’s bribery claims that Agyarko offered money to minority MPs for nomination as minister approved.
The alleged attempted bribery by approved Energy Minster Boakye Agyarko, to minority MPs in Parliament has been making rounds on the media. The bribery allegations initiated by Mahama Ayariga on Accra-based Radio Gold, has sparked a huge controversy in the Parliament.
Member of the Minority in Parliament and Bawku Central MP, Mahama Ayariga, accused Agyarko of attempting to bribe Minority MPs, to have his nomination as Minister of Energy approved. According to him, Mr Agyarko offered GHC100,000 to the Appointments Committee to buy his approval.
Ayariga stressed that some Minority MPs had allegedly been offered GHC 3,000 each by Mr. Agyarko; but they turned it down when they found out who it was from and what it was for. These bribery allegations has been followed with mixed reactions on the media. While some debunked the allegations, others have castigated the Energy Minister for engaging in such acts.
Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko has denied offering money to members of Parliament’s Appointments Committee to approve his nomination. Boakye Agyarko has threatened legal actions against the Bawku Central MP for the bribery allegations leveled against him.
Speaking to Joy News, Agyarko debunked Ayariga’s bribery claims against him, emphasizing how shocked and saddened he was upon hearing about it. The Energy Minister stressed that he never offered any money to anybody to make a decision in his favour.
Parliament has also debunked Ayariga’s bribery claims against Agyarko. The leadership of the Parliament in a statement, urged the public to disregard Ayariga’s corruption claims, saying the allegations are “frivolous and vexatious and should be disregarded.”
Parliament stated that no such event has taken place and anybody having any information to the contrary, must resort to the laws of the land and take the appropriate action for redress.
First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joe Osei Owusu, has also regarded the allegations by Mahama Ayariga as fabricated lies. To further debunk the allegations, Osei Owusu made a rather shocking revelation that Ayariga already withdrew his statement. He explained that the legislator wanted to equalize for statements the Energy Minister made about former President John Mahama.
It can be recalled that Mr Boakye Agyarko have once thrown jabs at former President Mahama, saying the ex President chose corruption over the interest of the country in some of his government decisions.
Mr. Owusu explained that Ayariga made the bribery claims against Agyarko, to get even with him; following prior claims by the Majority side that former President John Mahama was corrupt.
Mr Ayariga has however denied withdrawing his bribery claims. The Bawku Central MP reportedly took to social media to deny claims that he has withdrawn his statement.
“Let me state categorically that I have not withdrawn any allegation against the nominee…The basis for such a withdrawal and apology does not exist because the Minority Members actually received some sums of money from the leadership which came from the nominee.”
The MP stated he was not trying to make up facts to equalize for the bribery allegation against President John Mahama.
Join GhanaStar.com to receive daily email alerts of breaking news in Ghana. GhanaStar.com is your source for all Ghana News. Get the latest Ghana news, breaking news, sports, politics, entertainment and more about Ghana, Africa and beyond.
