Parliament, CHRAJ implored to scrutinize alleged bribe takers

A group calling itself the Movement for Development of Ghana has called on the Legislature and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate the accusation of bribery levelled against the Chairman of the Vetting Committee and two others.

It said the allegation was a move by the opposition to cast “a slur on the integrity of the Chairman of the Appointments Committee and Second Deputy Speaker, Right Honourable Joseph Osei-Owusu and the Minister of Energy, Mr. Boakye Agyarko.”

A statement signed by Amos Safo, the group’s Director of Programmes and Communications indicated that the allegation had been an undesirable means to thwart the otherwise smooth vetting process.

“We strongly believe that it is a ploy by Mahama Ayariga, Alhassan Suhuyini and Okudzeto Ablakwa to draw attention to themselves and to stall a rather smooth and impressive vetting process,” he noted.

They urged the accused not to be distracted but rather resort to the necessary legal action to clear their names and that of their respective institutions.

“We also urge the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and the leadership of Parliament to launch separate investigations into the allegations,” he said.

He asked relevant security agencies to take keen interest in the case, since the offer and acceptance of bribe – any form of inducement - was a criminal offence.

Meanwhile, the Movement lauded the efforts of the government in directing its energies to fulfil the pledges in its manifesto.

“The first is the fulfilment of the ruling New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) promise to allocate 30 percent of all political appointments to women,” they said.

The statement also complimented the President’s move to target specific areas of the economy that needed urgent redress, for which he had appointed ministers under his purview to address the issues.

The group explicitly challenged all the female ministers regardless of their specific ministries to all endeavour to complement the efforts of the Gender Minister to blot out the obdurate plight of the street head porters commonly referred to as ‘Kayayees’.

They thought the persistence of the situation was unfortunate, adding “in 21st Century when trucks, trains and planes are conveying goods across borders, we still have valuable human resources making a living through carrying of goods on their heads with babies on their backs.”

They, however, threw into insignificance the over-raised issue of the size of the cabinet with the creation of seven Ministers’ of State to tackle specific areas of concern, of which many have criticised that it would only add undue pressure on the public purse.

They stated that the size of the cabinet only suited the work the President wanted to do in the attainment of his vision.

“It is our candid opinion that, after taking the mantle of leadership, the onus is on the President to deliver on those promises,” it said.

The Movement for the Development is a group of Accra-based NPP activists with the aim to advocate for the smooth implementation of the manifesto of the NPP and the vision of the President, Nana Akufo-Addo.