This 7th Parliament has survived bribery and visa fraud scandals, 11 walkouts, the gunning down in cold blood of a member and death of another through illness, COVID-19, as well as a street clash between some members and armed men and women of the Ghana Police Service.
Two MPs were reprimanded as well for committing contemptuous acts against the 7th Parliament.
Here is a catalogue of 45 timelines, incidents and scandals that defined Ghana’s 7th Parliament.
27th January 2017: The Agyarko/Ayariga Bribery Scandal
Exactly 20 days after the new MPs were sworn into office, NDC MP for Bawku Central Mahama Ayariga alleged in an interview with Radio Gold, and subsequently Joy FM, that members of the Appointments Committee had been bribed 3,000 Cedis each to approve the nomination of Boakye Agyarko as Energy Minister. He claimed Chairman of Parliament’s Appointments Committee Joe Osei Owusu and Minority Chief Whip Muntaka Mubarak were the conduits.
The two denied the claim. NDC MP for North Tongu Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and NDC MP for Tamale North Alhassan Suhuyini publicly backed Mr. Ayariga’s allegation, insisting the bribe money got to them but was subsequently returned. Parliament set up a committee to investigate the allegations chaired by Second Deputy Speaker of the 6th Parliament, Joe Ghartey.
31st March 2017: Joe Ghartey Committee reports there is no evidence of bribery in Parliament
After almost 2 months of work, a five-member investigative committee that looked into allegations of bribery at the Appointments Committee submitted its report on the floor of parliament. The report of the committee chaired by Essikado Ketan MP Joe Ghartey concluded claims by Mahama Ayariga that MPs had been bribed to approve the nomination of Boakye Agyarko as Energy Minister were untrue.
The committee said it found no evidence to back the claim. Joe Ghartey told the house “a multiplicity of rumours does not metamorphose into a fact.” The committee found him guilty of contempt of parliament and recommended that he be reprimanded and made to apologize. He contested the recommendation. After a long, dragged back and forth with Speaker Mike Ocquaye on the floor, he said; “if you want me to apologize, I apologize.” Majority MPs rejected the apology, insisting it was not remorseful.
7th April 2017: Mahama Ayariga renders “proper” apology
On the floor of parliament, NDC MP Mahama Ayariga read out an apology letter he had written to the Speaker over his bribery allegation. In the letter, he apologized to then Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko, Minority Chief Whip Muntaka Mubarak and first Deputy Speaker Joe Osei Owusu, for accusing them of corruption without evidence. He also apologised to all MPs for lowering the image of the house. The Speaker told Mr. Ayariga; "go and sin no more."
3rd February 2017: Minority stages first walkout over Otiko Afisa Djaba’s appointment
The Minority in Parliament’s first walkout was a partial one. Maybe, they were now warming up to the game. It was over the approval of former Women’s Organiser of the NPP Otiko Afisa Djaba as Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection.
The Minority refused to support approval of her nomination at the Appointments Committee after she stood by comments describing former President John Mahama as wicked and evil. They also did not understand why she should serve as minister when she hadn’t done her mandatory national service in the past. As parliament approved her nomination, all Minority MPs except 10 members of the appointment committee left the chamber.
The committee members stayed on to argue against her approval. A vote in the house saw 152 Majority MPs vote in favour to approve her nomination.
15th March 2017: Minority stages second walkout
The Minority in Parliament staged the second of what would be several walkouts as the house approved the NPP government’s first budget statement delivered by Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta. The minority protested cuts to the District Assembly Common Fund and what they claimed was inefficient planned use of the country’s oil resources in the budget. The walkout was after they lost a vote on the floor that approved the budget.
26th April 2017: MPs involved in alleged visa fraud
Joy News’ Kojo Yankson broke the story of a confidential letter from the UK High Commissioner Jon Benjamin to Speaker of Parliament Prof. Mike Ocquaye, which detailed alleged visa fraud involving some 3 MPs in the 7th Parliament. NDC MP for Bia East Richard Acheampong, NPP MP for Ntotroso Joseph Benhazin Dahah and NPP MP for Ahafo Ano South West Johnson Kwaku Adu, were the alleged culprits.
A former MP for Asunafo South George Boakye was the fourth. The letter claimed the four had allegedly facilitated the illegal entry and illegal stay of people they claimed to be their relatives in the UK.
The High Commission said some of the actions could be considered criminal, but it was hoping to work with the speaker’s office to encourage MPs to desist from such acts. The letter said the four will not be granted visas to enter the UK for at least 10 years.
The Speaker, Foreign Affairs Minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, all promised thorough investigations and that those found culpable will be dealt with. But nothing has been heard of the case since May 2017.
29th July 2017: Minority unhappy as police raids homes of NDC MPs
On the floor of parliament, the Minority Chief Whip Muntaka Mubarak demanded that the Speaker invokes constitutional protection of MPs from arbitrary police action. This was after former Deputy Attorney General Dr. Dominic Ayine, former Power Minister Dr. Kwabena Donkor and former Deputy Power Minister John Jinapor who are all MPs, had their homes raided as part of investigations into controversial AMERI power deal.
The speaker promised to invite security officials for the necessary conversations, so things are done right next time.
1st August 2017: Minority MPs stage third walkout over AMERI deal
Minority MPs staged their third walkout of parliament over what they said was the Speaker’s illegal admission of a motion filed by Adansi Asokwa MP K. T. Hamond. Mr. Hammond’s motion asked parliament to rescind the approval it gave to the controversial AMERI power deal back in 2015 at the height of the energy crisis.
After power changed hands in January 2017, the Philip Addison led committee set up by Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko to investigate the deal concluded it was allegedly inflated by US$150 million. K. T. Hammond’s motion for parliament to withdraw its approval claimed there had been gross misrepresentations in the original deal.
Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu was unhappy the Speaker admitted the motion and referred it to the Energy Committee, insisting it was illegal for the 7th parliament to take a fresh decision on work done by the 6th parliament. The Minority MPs walked out just before the speaker went ahead to admit the motion.
21st December 2017: Parliament okays request by Ministry for Special Development Initiatives to spend a whooping GH¢800,000 on website development
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram
Google+
YouTube
LinkedIn
RSS