Rockson Bukari resigns over bribery allegation

A Minister of State at the Presidency, Rockson Ayine Bukari has resigned from office as a Minister of State at the Office of the President following allegations of attempted bribery.

His resignation comes on the back of a circulating tape which suggests, he attempted to bribe a Starr FM reporter to kill a story against a judge and the Shaanxi Mining Company late 2018.

In the tape, the minister was heard giving feedback to the journalist about some Gh¢5,000 he had secured from the Chief Executive Officer of the Chinese company and suggesting to the investigative journalist to keep it secret but “feel free and chop” the cash.

He denied the bribery allegation in a statement earlier, insisting he was only intervening.

However a statement signed and issued by Mr Eugene Arhin, Director of Communications at the Presidency explained Mr Bukari has submitted his letter of resignation to the President on Monday, 29th April, because he had “taken note of the tape circulating in the media”, and had, therefore, taken the decision to resign “in order not to allow the tape to disrupt the focus of government in delivering on its mandate.”

The statement further revealed, Mr Bukari resigned “as a matter of principle”, having “exercised judgment contrary to what I have known you to stand for and require of your servants in running this country.”

The President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo then accepted his resignation, and according to the statement  wished him well in his future endeavours.