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National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Okudzeto Ablakwa, has dismissed claims by the Chairman of the Appointments Committee, suggesting that he admitted making up the bribery allegation against the Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko.

Chairman of Parliament’s Appointments Committee, Joe Osei-Owusu, made the claim at the first public hearing of the ad-hoc committee today [Wednesday], saying Mr. Ablakwa had indicated that the Minority made the bribery allegation to equalize Mr. Agyarko’s corruption allegation levelled against former President Mahama.

“In the conclave, after they had shown that they [Minority] were satisfied and were willing to withdraw their objection and agree for their report to be amended that Hon Osafo Maafo and Boakye Agyarko be passed by consensus, we were going to leave and I said no, there was this allegation already in the public domain, and Honourbale Ayariga is the one alleged to have made that allegation so we should discuss that matter after meeting, all the Minority members said was ‘Mr. Speaker cool down, cool down’ and I said; ‘How can I cool down?This allegation is already in the public domain’. It was at that point that Okudzeto Ablakwa said ‘because Agyarko said our President [Mahama] was corrupt, we were spreading the corruption allegation’. The mood in the room changed afterwards,” Osei -Owusu said.

But in a Facebook post, Mr. Ablakwa rubbished the claims, saying they were just fabricated.

"May it be known that the so-called confession attributed to me by Hon. Joe Osei-Owusu is nothing but a desperate, malicious and cancerous fabrication which would not be allowed to fester." 

According to Mr. Ablakwa, Mr. Joe Osei-Owusu has been inconsistent with his account of events since the scandal was uncovered.

“The last time Hon. Osei-Owusu made this same allegation, he hanged it around the neck of Hon. Mahama Ayariga.”

“I guess he had forgotten to be consistent when he appeared before the Special Committee today.”

The former Deputy Minister of Education declared his preparedness to ensure the truth is established, saying “let no one doubt my resolve and the extent I am willing to go to vindicate the truth in this matter.”