Outspoken Political Scientist Prof. Ransford Gyampo has called for a full scale investigation into the circumstances leading to expatriate businessmen being charged a staggering $100,000 to share a table with President Akufo-Addo during an award ceremony.
A document confirming the demand and signed by a deputy Trade and Industry Minister, Carlos Ahenkora was divulged last week during a parliamentary proceeding by the Minority Chief Whip Muntaka Mubarak.
In the said document, expatriates working in the country were charged the whopping amount to dine on the same table with the president at the just held Ghana Business Expatriates Awards on December 8 at the Movenpick Hotel in Accra.
After several denials by the Trade and Industry Ministry and demands for the monies to be refunded to the expatriates by the Minority in parliament, the chairman of the Millennium Excellence Foundation Victor Gbeho organisers confirmed that expatriate businesses were charged monies to sit close to the president.
He, however, added that it was meant for fundraising.
News of the charges has sparked public outrage with some Ghanaians including including Prof. Gyampo calling for full scale probe into the development.
“It is very important that the matter is investigated. People found guilty will have to be sanctioned,” he stated on Morning Starr Friday.
According to him, the summoning of the Trade and Industry Minister by the president to furnish him with more details on the development is important.
He said the impression created by the development is not good for the image of the country.
“I think the $100,000 charged the expatriate businessmen happened at the blind side of the President. The President asking the Minister of Trade and Industry to provide answers is very important. The payments made create the impression that one may have to make payments before seeing the President. That is not a good thing,” he opined.
Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/103.5FM
