The convenor of FixTheCountry Movement and DemocracyHub, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, is set to appear before the Appointments Committee of Parliament today.
He is to substantiate a bribery allegation he made against members of the committee where he suggested that they demand monies from ministerial nominees before vetting and approving them.
Bernard Ahiafor, Chairman of the Committee who denied such claims on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, before starting the vetting of the Minister-designate for Defence, Dr. Edward Kofi Omane Boamah, demanded that Mr. Barker-Vormawor be hauled before the Committee to prove his allegations.
Mr. Ahiafor, who is the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, also expressed his readiness to appear before the Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) committee which Barker-Vormawor had suggested in his allegations.
The Chairman raised the issue before members of the Committee and denied knowledge about it, and also expressed his readiness to appear before the ORAL, before summoning Barker-Vormawor to come and substantiate his claims.
“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.
“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.
Meanwhile, Barker-Vormawor in a Facebook post few hours after the announcement said he was ready to meet the Committee today.
I’m looking forward to working with CSOs, research institutions; they have a lot to offer – Bawumia