Bernard Ahiafor, Chairman of the Appointments Committee of Parliament, has summoned the convenor of FixTheCountry and DemocracyHub, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, to appear before the Committee.
He is to go and substantiate a bribery allegation made against the members of the Committee where he asked that the Chairman, Mr. Ahiafor, appears before the Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) committee.
But prior to the commencement of the vetting of the Minister-designate for Defence, Dr. Edward Kofi Omane-Boamah Tuesday, January 28, 2025, the Chairman, Mr. Ahiafor, raised concerns about the allegations.
He vehemently denied the claims and declared his readiness to appear before the ORAL.
“Our attention is drawn to the media statement by Oliver Barker-Vormawor, to the effect that the Majority Members of the Appointments Committee have been demanding money before approving the nominees and the Chairman must submit himself to ORAL. Let me place on record that I’m ever ready to submit myself to ORAL.
“So, therefore, I Bernard Ahiafor, 1st Deputy Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament and the Chairman of the Vetting Committee, wants to place it on record that myself and the committee members do not demand money from any nominee before vetting and approval,” he stated.
He directed that the Clerk of the Committee summons Barker-Vormawor to appear before them tomorrow, Wednesday, January 29, 2025, to substantiate his claims.
“I will therefore direct the clerk of the Committee to invite Oliver Barker-Vormawor to appear before the Committee tomorrow at 10 before noon to provide evidence of Bernard Ahiafor the Chairman of the Vetting Committee or any member of the Vetting committee to back his claim that we demand money from the nominees before vetting and approval.
“When he fails, then we can invoke the powers of the committee under Article 103 and our own Standing Order 134, I so direct,” he indicated.
Kufuor condemns Barker-Vormawor’s actions at Democracy Hub demo