‘If You Say I Should Apologise, I Apologise’ – Mahama Ayariga

The Committee set up to investigate allegations of bribery in Parliament presented their report on the floor of the house Thursday, sparking untold drama.

The Joe Ghartey led Committee said in their report that they had found no evidence of Ayariga’s bribery claim and thus, due to the slurs he had casted on the reputations of both the house and the honourable members he accused, he needed to apologise for his behaviour.

That prompted the unrepentant Ayariga to utter the now immortal words – “Mr Speaker if you say I should apologise, I apologise,”

Ayariga had claimed that first deputy speaker Joe Osei Owusu had given an amount of money to Minority Chief Whip Muntaka Mubarak, for onward distribution to the minority to support the vetting of the then Energy Minister designate Boakye Agyarko.

All factions involved denied the allegations, leading to the committee being set  up to investigate the issue.

“Mr. Mahama Ayariga is in Contempt of Parliament on the strength of Article 122 of the 1992 Constitution, Section 32 of the Parliament Act, 1965 (Act 300) and Orders 28 and 30 (2) of the Standing Orders of Parliament.” the committee’s final report read.

It added: “The committee having established a case of contempt against Mr. Mahama Ayariga as well as having examined the sanctions regime available, recommends to the House… that the Hon Member for Bawku Central, Mr. Mahama Ayariga, be reprimanded by the Rt. Hon. Speaker in accordance with section 35 of the Parliament Act, 1965 (Act 300).”

It further recommended that Mr. Ayariga “renders an unqualified apology to the House, purging himself of contempt.”