The President of policy thinktank IMANI Centre for Policy and Education ,Mr. Franklin Cudjoe, has asked the Special Prosecutor to investigate the alleged bribery of NPP MPs by a wealthy businessman.
A certain businessman is said to have attempted to bribe the MPs in the majority group who demanded for the dismissal of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
Franklin Cudjoe who is a leading policy analyst has asked the Special Prosecutor (SP) to investigate the incidence. According to him, studies have proven that the financing of politically related activities is something that ought to be be carefully looked at.
“There’s been a number of studies that suggests that the way we run our politics, the way the campaign financing is done, ought to be [discussed] and the elements of audit be exposed. That incident [alleged bribery of MPs] must actually be investigated possibly by the Special Prosecutor so that we get to the bottom of this.”
Franklin Cudjoe, President Imani
Franklin Cudjoe intimated that the unwillingness of the MPs to reveal who the wealthy businessman is, suggests some sort of criminality and hence the need for the SP to take up the issue.
“That they may be shielding this person then it bothers on criminality and that incident must actually be investigated possibly by the Special Prosecutor so that we get to the bottom of this.”
Franklin Cudjoe, President Imani
Businessman Offers Disgruntled NPP MPs Bribe
In a statement dated 27th October, 2022, the majority caucus in Parliament decided to accede to President Akufo-Addo’s plea to allow the Finance Minister and Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance remain in office until the ongoing IMF negotiations are over and the 2023 budget is read.
In an interview on ‘PM Express’ yesternight, Majority Leader Kyei Mensah Bonsu revealed that, a certain wealthy businessman had initially offered the ‘breakaway’ MPs some money into inducing them to rescind their calls for Ofori-Atta’s dismissal.
“I am told that a businessman came to where we were having the cabinet meeting and tried to do something. He is a business man that I Know but I have not spoken to since this issue came up. I’m told he came to mediate in his own way but was asked by the people not to involve himself.”
Kyei Mensah Bonsu, Majority Leader
Hon. Andy Appiah Kubi, MP for Asante Akyem South and spokesperson for the NPP MPs who had initially called for the dismissal of the Finance Minister, laid credence to what the Majority Leader.
“What the Majority leader said is true. The truth is, the businessman who came to meet us wanted us to change our position, he claimed that it is not in the interest of the business community to see this confusion in governance and therefore for the sake of the business community and their businesses, let us ensure that there is tranquility in the political space.”
Andy Appiah Kubi, MP Asante Akyem South
Then he said that because we gave him audience, he wanted to leave something behind for us.
“He got somebody to bring it [an envelope of money] and we said sorry we cannot take anything and returned the money to him. And he took it away so it ended there,” the Asante Akyem South Legislator disclosed.
Hon. Appiah Kubi said they did not even open the envelope and so he was not privy to how much the businessman offered them.
Meanwhile, many people including MP for Buem Constituency, Hon. Kofi Adams and award winning Journalist Samson Lardy Anyenini have questioned the motive behind the refusal of the MPs to disclose the identity of the businessman.
Kofi Adams said that, if someone really attempted to bribe them, then they should mention his name.
“They should mention his name, where they met him and the amount of money he offered them. I am not convinced with what they are trying to say.”
Kofi Adams, MP Buem
“I do not know what it is that makes you just turn a criminal away. So we caught you committing a crime but you know what, we’ll move the other way [so] just move on. And from what they speak about, this criminal will continue to be with them. There will be Government business that this criminal will be involved in, they’ll approve things for this criminal and they will do so happily.”
Samson Lardy Anyenini, Broadcast Journalist
