Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, has called for an independent public inquiry into the Aksa bribery scandal, arguing that the focus should go beyond prosecuting individuals to addressing systemic failures that continue to expose Ghana to corruption.

This follows the conviction of former Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) Managing Director, Asante Kweku Bediako, in the United States for bribing foreign officials in connection with a power project.

Speaking on Joy FM's Top Story on Monday, August 17, the MP said the country risks repeating the same mistakes if authorities concentrate solely on criminal prosecutions without examining the weaknesses within Ghana's procurement and anti-corruption systems.

"We need to be very cautious and drill the matter down beyond just the need to prosecute people. When we say there is the need for a commission of inquiry or there is the need for an inquiry into the matter, it is not to say that there should not be prosecution," he explained.

He argued that the Aksa case is not an isolated incident but part of a troubling pattern involving foreign companies bribing public officials in Ghana.

"This is not the first time that a person has been convicted outside this country for bribing public office holders. This is not the first time. It is not the second time. It is not the third time," he said.

The MP cited several previous cases, including the Mabey and Johnson scandal and the Airbus bribery case, as evidence of persistent institutional weaknesses.

According to him, the repeated nature of these scandals suggests that Ghana's safeguards against corruption are either ineffective or not functioning as intended.

"When these things keep recurring, it is obvious that the systems that you have put in place as a nation to prevent the occurrence of situations of this nature are not working," he said.

He also raised concerns about public procurement practices, arguing that questions surrounding value for money should form part of any investigation.

Referring to concerns raised about the power sector, he noted that there have previously been allegations that some power plants procured by the state were overpriced.

He pointed to reports suggesting that the equipment at the centre of the latest controversy may not be performing as expected, raising further questions about the procurement process.

"Was there proper value for money?" he asked.

Nana Awuah argued that a public inquiry would help identify weaknesses in procurement laws, oversight mechanisms and anti-corruption institutions.

He stressed that the objective of such an inquiry would be different from that of a criminal investigation.

"What you want to achieve with the inquiry is not the same as prosecution because you can't even use it to punish people," he said.

He dismissed suggestions that enquiries are unnecessary because previous commissions have produced little change, insisting that responsible governments must investigate institutional failures.

"Your systems are failing. Foreign businesses walk into your country and are able to financially compromise people and institutions that have been put in place to safeguard the public interest," he said.

The MP further observed that convictions linked to corruption involving Ghanaian public officials have often occurred outside the country.

He noted that convictions in similar cases have been secured in jurisdictions including the United States, Norway and the United Kingdom. "The common denominator is Ghana, and these things are happening, and you think there shouldn't be an inquiry? There should be an inquiry."

He maintained that an independent investigation would help identify the root causes of the recurring scandals and provide recommendations to strengthen Ghana's institutions and prevent future occurrences.