Parliament Summons Oliver Barker-Vormawor Over Bribery Allegations
The Appointments Committee of Parliament has summoned activist Oliver Barker-Vormawor to appear before it following his allegations of bribery against committee members. The claims surfaced ahead of the vetting session for Defence Minister-designate Dr. Omane Boamah on Tuesday, January 28.
Committee Chairman and 1st Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Bernard Ahiafor, strongly denied the allegations, calling them baseless and harmful to the credibility of the vetting process. In response, he directed the Clerk of the Committee to formally invite Barker-Vormawor to present evidence supporting his claims at a hearing scheduled for Wednesday, January 29.
“I, Bernard Ahiafor, Chairman of the Committee and 1st Deputy Speaker of Parliament, and the committee members do not demand money from nominees before vetting them. I will therefore demand the Clerk of the Committee to invite Oliver Barker-Vormawor to appear before the committee to provide evidence of the allegations,” Ahiafor stated.
Barker-Vormawor, a well-known government critic, has yet to respond to the summons. His allegations suggest that Appointments Committee members demand monetary inducements or other forms of gratification from nominees before their vetting sessions.
As at now many awaiting Barker-Vormawor’s response and the potential implications for parliamentary transparency and accountability.