The two-member bi-partisan committee set up by Parliament to investigate allegations of double payment of emoluments to some Members of Parliament (MP) and Ministers of the erstwhile Mahama administration is set to commence its work.
Dr Anthony Akoto-Osei, the Minister of Monitoring and Evaluation and the MP for Ho Central, Mr Benjamin Kpodo are the two members of the committee.
The committee which had been formed earlier before the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) commenced its investigations had the MP for Ajumako Enyan Essiam, Mr Cassiel Ato Forson representing the minority.
But according to the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, since Mr Ato Forson compromised himself by organising a press conference on the matter, he had to be replaced.
“Initially, it was the honourable Ato Forson who was to join Dr Akoto-Osei to begin this exercise. Unfortunately before the committee itself could start, Ato Forson took a position…and we thought that by action he had compromised himself. And so his replacement is honourable Kpodo,” he said.
Mr Kyei-Mensah Bonsu said the committee is supposed to bring clarity to the issue and put matters to rest.
“I believe that in a couple of days they would…with the Controller and Accountant General, they should be able to assist the police in unravelling the truth.”
Background
The CID is investigating some MPs who served as ministers in the erstwhile NDC administration for allegedly receiving double salaries.
According to the police, the alleged action by the MPs “is contrary to Section 124 (1) of the Criminal and other Offences Act 1960 (Act 29), as amended in 2012, Act 849. Section 124 relates to the offence of stealing”.
Some of the Ministers are said to have taken double salaries for four years, while others received double salaries for two and three years.
At least 10 of the former Ministers have since appeared before the Police CID to aid investigations.
Former Ministers; Inusah Fuseini, Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe Ghansah and Eric Opoku met the CID on Tuesday.
Source: Graphic.com
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"Mr. Kyei-Mensah Bonsu said the committee is supposed to bring clarity to the issue and put matters to rest". You're not going to sweep this issue under the carpet. It's within the right of parliament to set up a committee to investigate this DOUBLE DIPPING STEALING issue, fair. But the action by parliament is not mutually exclusive. MP's are not above the laws of the land. The CID criminal investigation must go on unabated. What is bad is bad period, regardless of politics or stature. Case in point, the Amoateng drug trafficking case; his action was bad and, he had to face the music. Parliament set up a committee to investigate while the police investigation went on in both USA and Ghana. We have to do the right thing else this issue will show it's ***barred word*** face again. Lets take politics aside and apply the laws regarding double dipping. Let the chips fall where they will fall period.
I hope this committee helps the CID to expedite action on this investigation. It is in the interest of the nation that they be swift since justice delayed to Ghanaians is justice denied. Is it not an irony that those crying witch hunting are now pleading, or begging? This sounds too nice to be true. Please CID and bipartisan committee be fast to unravel the truth so that we can openly apprehend the noissee makers, press conference, nation wreckers cum double salaried NDC MPs. Oh what a shhamme!!!
let the CID do their job we don't want any parliamentary committee
I hope this committee will also produce two reports : majority report and minority report...... Now we will know those who are truthful. NDC MPs disgraced parliament during the cash for seat committee sitting....now we are watching you guys.