The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu has said that he holds nothing against colleague lawmaker Mahama Ayariga contrary to reports that they are not on good terms.

“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.

Ayariga claimed in a radio interview early this year that the Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko, sent money to the minority side on the Appointments Committee in an attempt to influence their decision on his approval after he was vetted for the position.

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The allegations shocked the Appointments Committee on both sides of the house with Joe Osei Owusu (the committee’s chair) and Mubarak Muntaka (on the minority side) implicated.

The pair, together with Boakye Agyarko subsequently denied the allegations and described them as unsubstantiated.

Speaking on a local station almost a year after the incident, Joe Osei Owusu disclosed how he felt initially about the allegation.“Emotionally I was feeling bad as human being. It has to take some people closer to me to know I was very angry”, he said.

According to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawmaker for Bekwai Constituency, he became an 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”, he said.