The Member of Parliament(MP) for Asante-Akim North, Andy Appiah Kubi will today May 10, appear before the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng over corruption and corruption related matters.
The MP has been summoned by the OSP over allegations that a wealthy businessman tried bribing MPs who were pushing for the removal of the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta on October 25, 2022.
In a media interview, the MP for Suame and Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu and Andy Appiah-Kubi (MP, Asante Akim North) alleged that a renowned businessman in Ghana tried influencing the decision of some members of the Majority group with money over their demand for the removal of Ken Ofori-Atta as Finance Minister.
Pressure group, Occupy Ghana, on November, 2022, petitioned the Special Prosecutor to probe the allegations.
The MP in today’s appearance before the Special Prosecutor is expected to unveil the said wealthy businessman.
Andy Appiah Kubi and over 80 New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs in October 2022 called for the removal of the Finance Minister.
The MPs later softened their stance after meeting President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on the matter.
They accepted the President’s plea to have the Minister stay in office to seal Ghana’s bailout deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The majority leader said Parliament will investigate the allegation of bribery levelled against the unnamed popular businessman.
“The alleged bribery has come to my notice, and we will investigate to see if it is true and the motive behind it,” he said to the Parliamentary Press Corps, in Accra.
Background
In Novemeber 2022, some 98 New Patriotic Party(NPP) legislators threatened to boycott the 2023 budget presentation and all Finance Ministry business if President Nana Akufo-Addo fails to sack Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta immediately.
The new number, 98, was an increase from the previous 80 NPP MPs who had earlier demanded the removal of the Finance Minister and the Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, Charles Adu-Boahen.
According to the Member of Parliament for Asante Akyem North, Andy Appiah-Kubi, who doubles as spokesperson for the group, Ofori-Atta’s position in government has become untenable, hence the fresh demand for his resignation.
The group had earlier relaxed its demand following a meeting with President Akufo-Addo.
In the meeting, the President told the Majority Caucus to give the Finance Minister some time to conclude Ghana’s ongoing International Monetary Fund (IMF) negotiations.
According to the President, terminating the appointment of Mr Ofori-Atta would disrupt the programme, which is near completion.
President Akufo-Addo also appealed for the sector minister to be allowed to stay till the budget presentation and appropriation of the same, to which the MPs had agreed.
However, the NPP legislators reiterated their initial stance.
“We have gone back to (our demand for the President to) sack him now, and therefore should the budget be presented under the stamp of the Finance Minister, we’ll not participate because, as far as we are concerned, we are never going to do business with him.
“We will not participate in deliberations too,” Mr Appiah-Kubi said in an interview with JoyNews.
He noted that they would participate in the budget presentation and appropriation if only someone else were in charge.
“We are not saying we won’t do President’s business. We are saying we won’t do President’s business through Ofori-Atta. So if anybody else comes with President’s business, we’ll participate,” he insisted.
Mr Andy Appiah-Kubi said the new resolution is the outcome of a meeting held on Tuesday, November 15, which 98 NPP MPs attended to reconsider their collective position after they agreed to relax their initial stance.