Bribery allegation: We’ll not grant interviews to the media – Joe Ghartey

The Ad Hoc Committee set up by Parliament of Ghana to investigate the bribery allegation that has been levelled against the Appointments Committee of Parliament has stated authoritatively it will not engage in any further discussion with the media since it has started has begun public hearing into the said allegation.

According to the Committee, in as much as the hearing is being broadcast live, it is very salient that members remain quiet or be accused of being bias by witnesses who’ll appear before the committee.

Furthermore, the committee on their maiden sitting on February 15 2017 named those who will be called for interrogation. The witnesses include the 1st deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei Owusu, Minority Chief Whip, Hon Mohammed Mubarak-Muntaka, MP for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga and the Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko.
The Committee, according to the Chairman Hon. Joe Ghartey, has the responsibility among other things establish whether the 1st deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei Owusu took money (GHC100,000) from the Minister of Energy, Boakye Agyarko and gave or to the Minority Chief Whip for it to be distributed to Members.

The main mandate of the Ad Hoc Committee led by Hon. Joe Ghartey is to also establish whether or not there were attempts to bribe the Appointments Committee Members.
However, leader of the committee, Hon. Joe Ghartey has stated categorically that no member of the Committee will be part of any public post hearing discussion.

“We’re not discussing this matter, we have given you the opportunity to listen to us…we’re not going to hold post hearing discussions. Don’t call us…we’ll not answer the questions, when we leave here don’t thrust a mic into my face, I’ll not speak to you, not because I don’t want to speak or I don’t want the public to hear. But it’s because we’re holding the hearing in public, what else can we do you and at the end of the day the report that we’ll bring forward will be chamber and it will be discussed in public. So please allow us to do our work, if we speak the persons who will appear before the committee will say we’re bias. So please we’re not communicating with the media…that doesn’t mean there’s a media blackout, a word to the wise is enough.”