As at press time yesterday, Mahama Ayariga, former presidential spokesperson and now Deputy Minister-designate for Trade and Industries, was three days ago cleared by the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) regarding the �tractor saga� that was before the Commission.
Giving reasons for his clearance during his vetting last night in at the Speaker�s Conference Room in Parliament, Mahama Ayariga said that he was called on phone by the Commission that after a thorough check of the documents he submitted to defend his purchasing agreement with the Ministry for Food and Agriculture it realised that he had not officially misconducted himself, and that he went through the laid down processes for the purchases.
The issue was brought before CHRAJ by the Progressive National Forum (PNF), a political pressure group.
Mr Ayariga told the Vetting Committee, chaired by Hon. Doe Adjaho, that he had initially applied for two tractors meant for the underprivileged farmers in the Bawku East, Bawku West and now the Guru Timpana Districts to go into mechanized farming. He went on to say that the Minister for food and Agriculture, Mr Kwesi Ahwoi, then approached him to tell him that he (Ayariga) could apply for more tractors under the Agricultural Mechanisation Service Development (AMSDEC).
He then sent in the application for five tractors, which were approved. Some of the Committee members saw the purchase of the five tractors as abuse of office, as he was then the spokesperson for the presidency. Hon. Ayariga was subjected to a marathon vetting exercise as he was grilled on other issues relating to the ministry he has been nominated for.
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