Parliament has set up a 7-member committee to investigate revelations in Anas Aremeyaw Anas’s latest investigative documentary titled Number 12.
The documentary by the international investigative journalist centered on corruption in football administration, which started premiering on June 6.
The Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye who constituted the committee pointed out that Under Article 109 of the Constitution, Parliament has the power to regulate professional, trade and business organisations, adding so far as it concerns Ghana, Parliament can investigate.
Matters relating to the explosive documentary was first raised on the floor by MP for Bodi, Sampson Ahi, who called on the house to set up a special committee to look into the investigative piece.
He also prayed the house to call on the president of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) Kwesi Nyantakyi to step aside as president of the GFA.
Mr. Nyantakyi is being investigated by the police CID for fraud when he was captured in the Anas’s video transacting a shady deal using President Akufo-Addo’s name.
The Speaker of Parliament further remarked: “Parliament has the power to make laws to regulate professional, trade and business organisations. That is a very strong authority. If we have the power to regulate you, one of the criteria we are being told to look is whether you are acting democratically, and if fraud or corruption is alleged, that cannot be democratic, for that matter we are entitled to look into that matter. And that is what our special committee does.
“Everyone knows we are in an era where we all agree that we are fighting corruption and parliament must be the authority that is most interested in view of its being representative body of the entire of Ghana. Since no person, body or institution can assume an immunity from parliamentary investigation, I ask that we form a special committee right now, we will quickly look at the matter and then we will show what recommendations we should make.”
Meanwhile, the Minority Chief Whip, Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak and Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu have given their blessing to setting up the committee to probe into matters further.
By Evelyn Tengmaa |TV3|editors.3news.com
