By Joseph Appiah-Dolphyne, AfricaNews
ACCRA, 12 October 2009: Two top ministers in Ghana, Dr. George Sipa Yankey, the minister of health and Amadu Siedu, minister of state at the presidency have resigned following bribery allegations against them.
Ghana’s president has since accepted the resignations and asked the country’s anti-corruption agency to investigate the matter.
The resignations come after the country, started an investigation last month into accusations that government officials took bribes from bridge manufacturer Mabey & Johnson between 1993 and 2001.
Mabey & Johnson, the first firm to be prosecuted in Britain for overseas corruption, was convicted last month for its dealings in Ghana and Jamaica, and also pleaded guilty to applying for contracts under the Iraq oil-for-food programme in breach of United Nations sanctions.
Five of the company’s eight directors stepped down in early 2008 after the firm approached authorities to say it might have engaged in corrupt practices.
