Mahama Ayariga is “prepared to apologize- Majority Leader

Member of Parliament (MP) for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga is asking for second opportunity to render an unqualified apology to the House for allegations he made against Chairman of the Appointment Committee, Joseph Osei-Owusu and Minority Chief Whip, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak.

Mr Ayariga after being found guilty of contempt of Parliament by the ad-hoc committee set up to investigate claims he made on Accra-based Radio Gold that Minister of Energy, Boakye Agyarko had through attempted to bribe some members of the Appointments Committee through its chairman and Mr Muntaka, was asked by the Speaker to render an unqualified apology to the House.

Clearly dissatisfied with the report, Mr Ayariga ignored the Speakers advice to go straight to the apology and questioned whether the committee had the powers to make findings of contempt against.

After making his point, he unwillingly rendered the apology saying “Mr Speaker, if you say I should I apologise, I apologise”.

The seemingly incensed Speaker then announced that he would be making a ruling on the matter tomorrow after which he left the chamber while members got engaged in heated exchanges.

But according to the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, he had received word from the Second Deputy Speaker, Alban Bagbin that Mr Ayariga is prepared to offer a proper apology if given the opportunity today.

“…Later in the evening, I had some discussion with the second deputy speaker who Ayariga had subsequently engaged and given an indication that upon reflection, he realised that he had gone overboard and wants to be given the opportunity to purge himself and render a sincere apology.

“This may mean that he wants a second opportunity to apologise and sufficiently purge himself before his own compatriots in the House”, he stated on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Friday.

For the Majority Leader, Mr Ayariga’s behaviour was unacceptable because even if he [Ayariga] felt he had been treated unfairly, he could have used the appropriate procedure to seek redress rather than disrespect the Speaker and his colleagues.

“So if he had said that he is displeased with the observations and conclusions of the Committee, nonetheless in deference to the Speaker and his own colleagues in Parliament, and he retracts and apologise, that would have ended it”, he stated.