The Majority in Parliament have rejected a request for a bi-partisan enquiry into the receipt of a Ford Expedition gift presented to President John Mahama by a foreign contractor.
Deputy Majority Leader, Alfred Agbesi, says the request by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) will be shot down if the Minority brings it up on the floor of the House.
“I will say without any reservation at all that if that issue should be raised in Parliament, we on our side we shall resist with all the forces at our disposal,” he told Accra-based Citi FM.
Photo: President John Mahama
The opposition NPP has called for a parliamentary probe into all contracts awarded to the contractor, Djibril Kanazoe. Mr Kanazoe had won two contracts in the past and was in line for a third contract when he voluntarily pulled out following the revelations.
The NPP says the receipt of the gift by the President constitutes a conflict of interest, bribery and abuse of office.
The Progressive Peoples Party (PPP) and the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) have also petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate the matter.
Photo: Alfred Agbesi
Mr. Agbesi who is also the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Ashaiman says the call by the NPP is unnecessary and a waste of time.
“It is a waste of time, it is unnecessary and uncalled for and we can’t sit down for such things to be done in our political development. The constitution for which we operate have made an elaborate provision on how to take such actions against the President,” he said.
According to him, NPP’s call for a bi-partisan probe into the gift is only a political gimmick.
