Manasseh Azure Awuni has demanded the identity of a businessman who reportedly moved in to negotiate the intra-party demand for Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, to be removed from office.
Citing a steep economic decline, some 80 plus lawmakers from the ruling New Patriotic Party, NPP, demanded Ofori-Atta’s removal as a minister but stood down the demand after a meeting with the president on two conditions.
It has emerged, however, that a businessman had tried to influence the calls for the minister’s sacking.
It is the identity of the said businessman that the investigative journalist is demanding from the ‘breakaway’ NPP MPs who were led by Andy Appiah-Kubi, MP for Asante Akim North.
In two tweets posted on November 1, Manasseh demanded answers on the who, what and why of the ‘transaction.’ “Who is that corrupt businessman who bribed or attempted to bribe the NPP MPs to make a U-turn on Ken Ofori-Atta’s sacking?
“The 80+ NPP MPs must come clean on the back of Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu’s revelation. Who’s that businessman? What did he give them?
What Majority Leader said about unnamed businessman
Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, revealed in an interview with Joy News that a renowned businessman tried to influence the decision of the majority caucus of Parliament over their demands for Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta’s sack.
According to him, he was informed that the businessman came to Parliament to meet some members of the majority caucus on the matter to intervene for Ofori-Atta but was sent packing.
He, however, added that he could not confirm whether the businessman offered the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament (MPs) bribes.
“I [am] not privy to whatever inducement that people are offering… I [was] told on authority that some businessman came here and tried to do something. He is a wealthy businessman that I know.
“I was told that he came here and tried to mediate in his own way. What he thinks the problem is and tried (to mediate). That is all that I know.
“But he was repelled by the people. I am told he was informed not to involve himself. That is all that I know; I don’t know of another thing,” Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said in the interview monitored by GhanaWeb.
Source: Ghanaweb