The Members of Parliament for Asawase and North Tongu, Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka and Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, have been hauled before the Privileges Committee.
The duo are to appear before the Committee and defend various documents they tendered in evidence when they appeared before the five-member Adhoc Committee that probed the cash for seat saga.
The directive was given by the Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Aaron Michael Oquaye at Tuesday’s sitting to adopt the report of the Adhoc Committee which was laid on the floor on Friday, February 2, 2018.
The ruling of the Speaker was spurred by the findings of the Committee which exonerated the Ministry of Trade and Industry of any wrong doing during the Ghana Expatriate Business Awards which was recently held in Accra.
The Committee in it’s report told members that there was no merit in the allegation levelled against the Trade and Industry Ministry.
The Committee further indicted Hon. Muntaka who is the Minority Chief Whip for forgery.
The Speaker, having listened to the evidence submitted before the House ruled that the allegation against the Trade and Industry Ministry by the duo was just an abuse of due process of Parliament’s oversight responsibility.
“An allegation should not simply be thrown into the air and ask Parliament to investigate. They must be substantial and not an abuse of due process. I direct that all documents tendered in evidence at the Committee be referred to the Privileges Committee for full investigation as well as any other matter that may arise worthy of investigation in the view of the Committee should be duly investigated and appropriate action taken against whoever”, he noted.
It is likely that some other members who appeared before the Committee and tendered in some documents may be called to appear before the Privileges to also substantiate their documents.