M&J bribery scandal: NDC MP demands accused must resign

A National Democratic Congress Member of Parliament for Shai Osudoku has waded into the controversial Mabey & Johnson bribery scandal, demanding the immediate resignation of all the accused persons. David Tetteh Assumeng told Joy News’ Bernard Saibu that the continued stay in office by the accused persons clearly violates the principle of probity and accountability, tenets on which the party was founded. Health Minister, Dr. George Sipa Yankey, Ambassador designate for Nigeria, Baba Kamara, Ato Quarshie, Alhaji Boniface Saddiq have all been mentioned as beneficiaries of inflated prices of projects undertaken and downright bribes paid by the UK construction firm, Mabey & Johnson. The Osudoku MP said any delays by President Mills in dealing with the allegations will only whip up unnecessary criticisms. Even though he commended the President for taking a swift action in dispatching the Attorney-General to UK to begin investigations into the matter, he said the accused “must step aside and allow investigations to continue.” Meanwhile, anti-corruption campaigner, Vitus Azeem has supported calls for an independent investigation into the bribery scandal. Pressure group, the Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG) at a press conference on Thursday charged President Mills to show palpable commitment in dealing with the scandal. Anthony Karbo, spokesperson of the group described the Attorney General’s investigation as cosmetic, saying the anti-corruption institutions such as the Serious Fraud Office and the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice should be drafted into the investigations. Agreeing in part to the demands made by AFAG, Vitus Azeem said the A-G could have applied for the information from the UK’s SFO instead of going there. On the calls for the accused persons to resign from office, the anti-corruption crusader said the accused can only do so if they admit taking the money, but can hold on if they are denying the allegations. In any case, he said it is the prerogative of the president to decide which cause of action to take. Story by Nathan Gadugah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana