Bagbin refers GH¢187m ‘Kitchen Cabinet’ scandal to Finance Committee for investigation

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin has tasked the Finance Committee to investigate an exposé by North Tongu Member of Parliament, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa which he terms the Kitchen Cabinet Scandal.

According to Ablakwa, cousin to President Akufo-Addo and leading member of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko has been harassing officials of Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to pay an amount of 187.3 million cedis to his client West Blue Company.

The ranking member for the Foreign Affairs Committee argues that though the company is not entitled to the amount, Gabby in collusion with the Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame and officials of the Ministry of Finance are putting pressure on GRA to effect payments.

Addressing the media in parliament, Okudzeto Ablakwa disclosed the Finance Committee will get to the bottom of the matter.

The lawmaker charged officials of the GRA not to succumb to threats and intimidation to pay the said amount.

Mr. Ablakwa questioned the silence of the finance minister on the matter since he made the scandal public.

“We are saying that 48 hours after this exposé the silence of the Attorney General is too loud, the silence of the Ministry of Finance is too deafening and of course the silence of the master perpetuator, the ground master of the President Akufo-Addo’s kitchen cabinet, Gabby Asare Otchere Darko is definitely too loud.

“We expect the Ministry of Finance to be accountable to the Ghanaian people and they own the Ghanaian people on this matter. We will not allow them to keep quiet and coil into their shelf,” the lawmaker stated.

He continued: “We have brought these matters formally to the attention of Parliament and more specifically to the attention of the leadership of Finance Committee. We have had assurances from the Finance Committee of Parliament, particularly from the ranking member on Finance Committee that during the break they will be inviting GRA to look further into this matter.”