Bribery claims against NDC MPs untrue – Suhuyini

Member of Parliament for Tamale North, Alhassan Suhuyini says the attacks on the National Democratic Congress caucus following the controversial approval of some of President Akufo-Addo’s minister-nominees are unfair and unjustified.

Defending the NDC MPs on the appointments committee he said they were all firmly in favour of the rejection of the nominees that sparked depate.

“I don’t think it is fair for us to attack each other as comrades in the NDC and impugne ill motives and even suggest bribery against each other. I think it is unfair, unjustifiable and we must focus ahead,” Mr. Suhuyini said on The Big Issue.

The NDC was against the approval of Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, minister-designate for Information, Mavis Hawa Koomson, minister-designate for Fisheries and Aquaculture. and Owusu Afriyie Akoto, the minister-designate for Food and Agriculture.

But when the matter of their approval was brought on the Floor of Parliament, the three got bi-partisan support in the form of a vote to pass them.

“All 13 members of the NDC recommended the three for rejection so it is disappointing for us, especially members of the committee, that some NDC MPs may have voted for them in disagreement with the recommendation that the 13 made.”

Following the approval, he admitted that the NDC MPs “could have done better.”

Mr. Suhuyini explained further that there was a misunderstanding at the Appointments Committee level where the NDC MPs were operating under the assumption that the NPP MPs as the majority group would have the final say on the fate of the MPs.

According to him, they were to vote en-bloc on a Majority group and Minority group basis.

“We believe that moving forward, we can do better. It was a slip based on the misunderstanding between party leadership and the leadership of Parliament.”