AG Yet to Respond to My Suit Against Free SHS, MASLOC – Ayariga

National Democratic Congress [NDC] Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, has told Citi News that the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Gloria Akuffo, is yet to respond to his suit before the Supreme Court seeking to review the scope and mandate of some government agencies.

The former Youth and Sports Minister in March 2018, started advocating for the annulment of all modules and contracts entered into by the Youth Employment Agency.

He is also asking that the Microfinance and Small Loans Center (MASLOC), ceases operation in the absence of a proper regulation. He also wants the GETFund to  be stopped from awarding scholarships without proper regulation, among other arguments.

The Bawku Central legislator told Citi News he is awaiting the AG’s written response on the issues.

He however added that he is open to dialogue.

“I am waiting for a response from the Attorney General and once the response comes in, we will take it up from there. I am open to discussion on a review of all the issues. I resorted to litigation because they were not responding,” Mr. Ayariga stated.

Background

After Abuga Pele and Philip Assibit were imprisoned on February 23, 2018, for their role in the GYEEDA scandal, Mr. Ayariga’s assessment was that they were victims of a system filled with holes that festered corruption.

Abuga Pele, the former National Coordinator of the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Agency (GYEEDA), was sentenced alongside the Chief Executive Officer of Goodwill International Group, Philip Assibit, to a combined jail-term of 18 years on various counts, including willfully causing financial loss to the state.

The imprisoning of the two prompted Mr. Ayariga to give some state agencies an ultimatum to present to Parliament reforms to their regulations or face action at the Supreme Court.

In the week beginning February 26, he said he was going to move against every state agency exercising “unfettered discretionary power without clear non-discriminatory non-arbitrary regulations approved by Parliament governing the exercises of their discretionary power.”

“I shall in the coming week write to each and every agency of government concerned and demand that the regulations be brought to Parliament within 30 days otherwise I will proceed to the Supreme Court to seek an injunction against all that they are doing in violation of the law,” he said to Citi News at the time.

Mr. Ayariga said he would:

• Call for the annulment of all modules and contracts entered into by the National Youth Employment Authority that are not founded on approved regulations passed by Parliament, including the annulment of all of Zoomlion’s contracts with the agency.
• Demand that the GETFund should award no scholarships.
• Demand that the Micro Finance and Small Loans Centre (MASLCOC) must cease operating.
• Demand that the Presidency no loner grants international scholarships through the Scholarship Secretariat.
• Demand the termination of all contracts under the Ghana School Feeding programme by the end of this term.