Bawku Central Member of Parliament has revealed he only corroborated bribery allegation claim made by Accra-based Radio Gold.
According to him, he had assumed the GH¢3000 given to him by Minority Chief Whip, Muntaka Mubarak was their allowance only to hear it was bribe from Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko.
Hon. Mahama Ayariga made the comment when he appeared before the Joe Ghartey Committee to answer questions on the bribery allegations that has rocked the Appointments Committee of Parliament.
When asked by the Committee whether he had evidence apart from the rumour that Boakye Agyarko had paid bribes, Mr Ayariga said “my interview and comments on bribery were based on what Muntaka told us”.
Committee member: Do you still believe that Agyarko brought money to be influenced?
“There are facts that Minority chief whip asked that we should come for money. We took the money and later returned it upon hearing the rumour that it was a bribe. It is a fact that we asked Muntaka to investigate the matter”.
Committee member: It is also a fact that you had no basis to confirm the allegations of bribery against Agyarko?
Ayariga: That is why we asked the Minority Chief to investigate the matter.
When asked whether he had spoken to Energy Minister, he said “I have never in my life spoken with him, never. The first time I was seeing him physically as a politician and as somebody who goes on air and also on television and on radio was when he appeared before the committee. [That] was the first time I was physically engaging him”.