I have forgiven Ayariga for 'cooked' bribery claims - Osei Owusu

First Deputy Speaker of Parliament and New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawmaker for Bekwai Constituency, Joseph Osei-Owusu has said, he holds nothing against colleague lawmaker for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga contrary to rumours there is bad blood between them.

“I have nothing against Hon. Mahama Ayariga. …if he greets me I will respond. If I also meet him too I am sure he will respond and I will greet him”, Hon. Joseph Osei Owusu said.

In January this year Hon. Mahama Ayariga leveled some allegations against some members of the appointments committee of parliament chaired by Hon. Joseph Osei Owusu.

He was alleged to have said each member of the committee was given GH¢3,000 to approve the nomination of Energy Minister-designate, Boakye Agyarko

Speaking on local station almost a year after the incident, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Appointment Committee revealed how he felt initially about the allegation targeted at him but said he has drawn some valuable lessons from it.

“Emotionally I was feeling bad as human being. It has to take some people closer to me to know I was very angry”, Hon. Joseph Osei Owusu revealed.

According to him, he is became unhappy man until he was cleared by Joe Ghartey’s Committee of all the allegations made against him.

“During one of Committee’s sittings , I was so emotional that a friend abroad texted me a message to control my temper”.

“I am a human being but I have to forgive those who made those allegations against me. This time I am just watching my ways of dealing with people”, Hon. Joseph Osei Owusu stated.