NDC MPs were ‘forced’ to approve Akufo-Addo’s ministers – Amidu
Former Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu, has revealed that some NDC MPs were compelled to approve ministers selected for President Akufo-Addo’s second term.
Martin Amidu, in his latest epistle, said the legislators feared the Attorney General’s office would prosecute them for the double salary scandal that occurred during the Mahama led administration.
The two main parties National Democratic Congress (NDC) and New Patriotic Party (NPP), who appeared to be at loggerheads for the first time, came to a compromise.
It was a win for all parties involved, he said.
“This compromising agreement led to some NDC contractors being paid for the first time for work done prior to January 7, 2017, before the ministerial approvals were made as a show of good faith to the NDC.
“My informants and agents within the executive and parliamentary NDC are certain that the MPs Double Salary cases and other pending criminal cases
involving some NDC Members of Parliament formed part of the negotiation and
compromises that paved the way for the resolution of the ministerial approval impasse with the NDC in Parliament.
“It is an open secret, for those who care to find out that the second batch of NDC contractors have submitted their request to the appropriate quarters, through a representative of the NDC in Parliament, who is to facilitate payments as part of the agreed compromise,” he revealed in his latest epistle.
On March 4, 2021, by a majority decision and consensus, parliament approved the nomination of 13 ministerial nominees of President Nana Akufo-Addo.
Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Food and Agriculture Minister, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, and Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Hawa Koomson, were among the approved.
The approval of the said ministers was greeted with fierce opposition from some NDC party faithful, who questioned why the MPs had betrayed their trust.
Leading the disappointed party faithful was the NDC’s National Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, who accused the party’s leadership in Parliament and the Speaker, Alban Bagbin, of betraying the party.
Mr Gyamfi said the Tamale South MP, Haruna Iddrisu, and Asawase MP, Muntaka Mubarak, “brazenly defied the leadership of the party and betrayed the collective good for their selfish interest.”
“We must not let them succeed in their parochial quest to destroy the NDC, the party that has done so much for them and all of us. The shame they have brought on the party will forever hang like an albatross around their necks,” he took to social media shortly after the approval.
Double Salary Saga
Between 2012 and 2016, some John Dramani Mahama administration members, who were ministers or deputy ministers and doubled as members of parliament were alleged to have received double salaries during their term in office.
The whole scandal was triggered following an audit of the payroll data from the office of the President and Parliament from 2012 through 2016.
According to the police, the alleged double salaries saga “is contrary to Section 124 (1) of the Criminal and other Offences Act 1960 (Act 29) as amended in 2012 (Act 849). Section 124 relates to the offence of stealing.”
Initially, 25 NDC MPs were said to have been invited by the CID, but the then-Minority in Parliament held a press conference to debunk the allegation.
Some of the officials cited in the matter were:
Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo, Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe Ghansah, Inusah Fuseini, and Fifi Fiavi Kwetey
Other names mentioned were Abdul Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, Aquinas Tawiah Quansah, Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye, Alhassan Azong, Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine and Haruna Iddrisu.