Chairman of Parliament’s Appointments Committee, Joseph Osei-Owusu, has said he decided not to push for investigations into the alleged bribery scandal involving Energy Minister, Boakye Ayarko, because the Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa claimed it was framed.

Appearing before the first public hearing of the ad-hoc committee investigating the alleged scandal, Mr Osei Owusu narrated what happened at a closed-door meeting on the matter.

“In the conclave, after they had shown that they [Minority] were satisfied and were willing to withdraw their objection and agree for their report to be amended that Hon Osafo Maafo and Boakye Agyarko be passed by consensus, we were going to leave and I said no, there was this allegation already in the public domain, and Honourable Ayariga is the one alleged to have made that allegation so we should discuss that matter after meeting, all the Minority members said was ‘Mr. Speaker cool down , cool down’ and I said ; ‘How can I cool down? This allegation is already in the public domain’. It was at that point that Okudzeto Ablakwa said ‘because Agyarko said our President [Mahama] was corrupt, we were spreading the corruption allegation’. The mood in the room changed afterwards.”

Mr. Osei-Owusu was however not able to tell whether Mr Okudzeto was joking about his statement or not.

Meanwhile, the ad-hoc committee has stated that they will invite only 4 witnesses during their sitting.

They include Chairman of the Appointments Committee Joe Osei-Owusu, Minority Chief Whip Muntaka Mubarak, Bawku Central MP Mahama Ayariga and Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko.

Mr Mahama Ayariga had earlier said that the Energy Minister Agyarko sent money to the minority side in an attempt to influence their decision on his approval after he was vetted for the position.

The NDC Member of Parliament said they (the minority) received the money thinking it was sitting allowance for being part of the Appointments Committee only to be told it was coming from the minister designate.

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He said they rejected the money and asked that the money be returned to him.