Is Parliament's Reputation At Stake In The Matter Of The Appointments Committee Bribery Allegation - And Is The NDC Facing An Existential Crisis Because Of It?

The astonishing story in sections of the Ghanaian media to the effect that National Democratic Congress' (NDC) parliamentarians on the Appointments Committee had allegedly been  bribed by a nominee they were vetting whose approval had been held in abeyance, is a rather odd one.

In a sense, it pretty much sums up the nature of  our nation's politics: it is full of mendacious and unprincipled individuals at the very top.

The question is: Why would a highly-intelligent and worldly-wise gentleman like the  Hon Boakye Agyarko offer bribes to failed politicians (who lost power essentially because they were not wise enough to appreciate the historic opportunity they were given by Ghanaians to serve their nation whiles in government) to approve his nomination: when it is his party that is in power and controls Parliament with a large majority of MPs?

And if the chairperson of the Appointments Committee, Joe Osei-Owusu, threatens to sue those implying untruthfulness on his part in the matter, does that not offer further proof that something does not quite add up  in the story being told by the Minority MPs  - and that the untruthfulness in this whole unsavory affair might have emanated from the top ranks of the caucus of Minority MPs on the Appointments Committee?

Having said that, it must also be pointed out however  that one has no doubt whatsoever that the Hon Mahama Ayariga is truthful, when he says that the Minority MPs on the Appointments Committee  returned the GHc3,000 per MP  'bribe' money once they became aware of its source and purpose  - and that he does not know what happened after the cash was handed over to the Minority's leadership.

That is the whole point. This whole shabby  scandal revolves around the leadership of Parliament - and their egregious cynicism in running the business of the House.

Could the real truth in this shabby affair not simply be that perhaps the NDC and New Patriotic Party (NPP)  both organise cash handouts (bribes in all but name effectively it would appear) as 'sitting allowance' from time to time to get MPs to do their parties' bidding - to ensure that all the needed outcomes which party parliamentary leaderships are required to deliver by the executive branch of government are met on schedule?

Perhaps there is indeed some truth in the allegations made by some  Ghanaians - including the Hon Martin Amidu the former Attorney General -  that Parliament is a corrupt institution too, after all?

Be that as it may,  if the NDC wants to return to power again, those who control the party must take the advice of its founder, former President Rawlings, seriously  - and let truth be the ethos that guides all their politics going forward into the future: for if it has not yet dawned on them in reality the NDC is facing an existential crisis. It is drinking in the Last Chance Salon - and must reform or perish.

As regards the allegations of money being paid for the sole  purpose of securing the approval of the Hon Boakye Agyarko by the Minority MPs on the Appointments Committee, it is vital that that very serious allegation is investigated quickly - and that there is no attempt at a cover-up in a matter in which the very reputation of Parliament is at stake, if truth be told.

The question we must all ponder over is: Who tried to bribe the Minority MPs on the Vetting Committee so as to finally secure their approval of the Hon Boakye Agyarko as energy minister in the Akufo-Addo administration?

The whole nation awaits the answer - and people of good conscience across the country caution Ghana's ruling elites not to attempt to cover up the truth in this matter. Covering up elite-mendacity was one of the many mistakes now-defunct Arab regimes made which led to the Arab Spring that swept long-entrenched ruling elites from power in nations like Tunisia, Egypt and Libya.

Parliament's reputation is definitely at stake in this matter - and the NDC faces an existential crisis as a result of it. Perhaps what eventually happens in the resolution of the #Vettinggate scandal, might  have a future bearing on how ordinary people come to perceive Ghana's Parliament  - and the role it plays in our Byzantine governance system.

Hmm, Oman Ghana - enti yeweiye paa enie? Asem kesie ebeba debi ankasa.