I have never purchased a state asset – Ablakwa replies Owusu-Bempah’s petition to CHRAJ

North Tongu Member of Parliament Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has said that he has never purchased a state property.

He was responding to the Deputy Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Ernest Kofi Owusu-Bempah Bonsu who has petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to probe the opposition lawmaker.

Mr. Owusu-Bempah says the lawmaker has violated a provision in the 1992 Constitution by engaging in a profitable venture without seeking approval from Parliament.

Mr. Ablakwa, if truly, is the owner of the industry in question, would then be occupying a position of profit or emolument in violation of Article 98(2) of the 1992 Constitution.

The NPP Deputy Communication’s Director has indicated in his petition that the Ranking Member on the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament’s refusal to seek permission from the Speaker to embark on his business is a “deliberate attempt to evade scrutiny and accountability.”But in a post on his X platform, Mr Ablakwa said “Media reports suggest that a certain doltish mercenary has dragged me to CHRAJ over a constituency farm project that is yet to commence operations.

“For the record, I have never purchased a state asset. Nothing will stop us from preventing the sale of our SSNIT hotels to Bryan Acheampong! And our resolve to initiate a Private Member’s Bill to ban the sale of state assets to politicians and politically exposed persons remains unwavering.”