General News of Wednesday, 19 December 2018

Source: starrfmonline.com

Oslo mission: Minority may petition Amidu – Okudzeto Ablakwa

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, MP for North Tongu Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, MP for North Tongu

The Minority in Parliament has said it may consider going to the Special Prosecutor or the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to open a probe into the controversy surrounding the planned purchase of building in Oslo for the use as Ghana’s embassy.

According to ranking member on the foreign affairs committee of Parliament Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the desire to approach the Special prosecutor stems from the fact that parliamentary probes in recent times have been watered down by the majority in the house with their numbers.

“We may give our evidence to CHRAJ, or the special prosecutor to investigate. We haven’t accused anyone, we are not interested in personalities it’s just the principle.

“Cash for seat probe and other issues have not given us confidence in parliamentary probe, the majority often take advantage of their numbers,” he told Francis Abban on the Morning Starr Wednesday.

The comment comes as the Minority insists Ghana has gone beyond the expression of interest matters relation to Oslo building which they claim has been overpriced.

“As we have pointed out…the seller of the property has an agreement which have tended in evidence before and Ghana made some demands on the seller and the seller proceeded to carry out those demands and contractors are on site,” Mr. Ablakwa told the media on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the Foreign affairs ministry says Ghana has not made any financial commitment yet.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not signed any agreement to purchase the said properties; that is the Chancery and the Ambassador’s Residence,” said Mrs Ayorkor Botchway in response to the claims of inflated transaction in the purchase of the 100-year-old property.