Minority walk out of Parliament over $5,000 bribe allegation

Minority walk out of Parliament over $5,000 bribe allegation
Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh, Ghanadot

Accra, July 7, Ghanadot - Minority MPs yesterday staged a walk out in Parliament following a repeated and deliberate accusation that they (Minority MPs belonging to the New Patriotic Party, NPP) received an alleged $5,000 bribe to approve last years’ purchase agreement with Vodafone.

The minority in their usually heated debate over a loan agreement had questioned government’s commitment to apply the funds for the purposes for which the loan was contracted.

They cited the over ¢100,000 spent on snacks during the transition period, fearing the loan when approved would be misused.

According to reports reaching the Ghanadot from Parliament House, this did angered the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Majority in Parliament.

MP for Sene, Twumasi Appiah, in a rebuttal accused the Minority MPs for taking $5,000 as compensation before voting for the sale of 70 per cent shares of Ghana Telecom to Vodafone, last year.

The Minority were outraged by the repeated accusation, more so when it had not been proven by the accuser, P.C. Appiah Ofori, himself a Minority MP for Assikuma-Odoben-Brakwa.

However, the minority demanded for a retraction and an apology, which Mr. Twumasi Appiah refused to render.

This eventually led to the Minority to completely walkout of the August House.

The speaker has thus referred the accusation to the Privileges Committee for investigations to be conducted on the allegation.

Meanwhile, the House could not sit down to complete its proceedings.