By Elsie Appiah-Osei
Accra, Aug 24, GNA- Mr Samuel Atta Akyea, Chairman of the seven-member bi-partisan Committee probing into a secret recording has urged people appearing before the Committee to cooperate with them.
He said: “So, we do not want people who appear before this Committee subsequently to be using excuses to delay our work. Cooperate with us.”
Mr Atta Akyea said during the Committe’s maiden public hearing at Parliament House on Thursday.
Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament constituted a seven-member bi-partisan Committee to probe into a secret recording of an alleged plot to remove Dr George Akuffo Dampare, Inspector General of Police (IGP) from office ahead of the 2024 general election.
The Committee has up to September 10 to report back to the House.
Nonetheless, the maiden hearing was adjourned to Monday, August 28, 2023, for Mr Bugri Naabu, the former Northern Regional Chairperson of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the first witness to appear in person.
Mr Naabu who was invited by the Committee, did not show up.
His counsel, Mr Raymond Denyo, who represented him, had written a letter, dated August 23, 2023, to the Committee requesting to excuse Mr Naabu on grounds of ill health.
He, therefore, appealed to the Committee to adjourn the hearing to August 31, September 4 and 7, 2023 for his client to appear in person but the Committee rejected the requested dates.
Mr Atta Akyea, also an NPP Member of Parliament for Abuakwa South said the Committee was to investigate what triggered the tape, those whose voices were behind it and their motive.
He said although Parliament was in recess, the Committee would utilise time properly to enable them to conclude the investigations as quickly as possible and present a report to the Plenary when the House resumed.
The Abuakwa South MP said he did not believe that it was proper that when people were invited to appear before the
Committee “They have a schedule for the Committee.
“Committee members, who are supposed to be in their respective constituencies, have made sacrifices for the Committee to perform its work but “it is the witnesses who are holding us to ransom,” he said.
“I hope that all those who appear before the Committee will know that time consciousness is important for us.
“It is not a witch-hunt; these are decent members of our community, and we will give the devil his due,” he said.
Outlining the crucial functions of Committees of Parliament, he said those who would appear before the committee understand the significance of their sittings so they would not be “wayward.”
He, therefore, read articles 103 (1) and (6) of the Constitution bothering on the appointment of other Committees of Parliament and the powers they wielded in the discharge of their responsibility.
“Article 103 (6) stipulates that a Committee appointed under this article shall have the powers, rights and privileges of the High Court or a Justice of the High Court at a trial for (a) enforcing the attendance of witnesses and examining them on oath, affirmation or otherwise; (b) compelling the production of documents; and (c) issuing a commission or request to examine witnesses abroad,” he said.
Mr Atta Akyea assured that in the discharge of its responsibility, the Special Committee would not “be breathing down on the noses of those who attend this Committee, but we want all witnesses to respect the Committee, especially our timetable.”
“…Don’t use excuses to delay our work,” he said
Mr Atta-Kyea disclosed that the Committee received a letter yesterday from Mr Donyo, requesting the Committee to excuse Mr Naabu for today on grounds of ill health.
He explained that the request was a reason the Committee would not do business today.
“It is not a good reason for the simple reason that unless it is a death-dealing malady that we can for one measure or the other must adjourn but we do not have any supporting document by way of a medical practitioner that this gentleman should be excused.
Mr James Agalga, the Vice Chairperson of the Committee assured that the Committee would abide by the protocols outlined by the chairperson at the beginning of the hearing.
He, therefore, said the Committee expected that counsel and their clients would cooperate with the committee to draw the curtains on investigations.
“Looking at the circumstances of the matter that we are dealing with, we do not think that this
The committee will unnecessarily hold your client because everything is on record and when certain admissions are made, I do not think we will hold ourselves here for too long,” he said.
GNA