The five-member bipartisan committee investigating the cash-for-seat saga has said its meeting with the expatriate business community has been satisfactory.
The committee was unable to sit on Tuesday, January 16, due to the refusal of the expatriate business community to honour its invitation.
The move by the expatriate business community, according to Starr News’ sources, was to push for an in camera hearing — a demand the committee granted Tuesday January 23.
Confirming the Tuesday in camera meeting with the expatriate business community in an interview with Starr News’ Parliamentary Correspondent Ibrahim Alhassan, the committee’s spokesperson Buaben Asamoah described it as fruitful.
“I believe the committee yesterday [was] satisfied with the attendance and the interaction with the expatriate business community who chose to attend on the committee’s call,” he told Alhassan.
“We believe we have enough…sufficient information to proceed. So, we are moving on,” he added.
He said close to ten business moguls from the expatriate community attended the Tuesday in camera meeting and that they are material to the Ghana Expatriate Business Award (GEBA).
The awards ceremony generated massive controversy after it emerged that expatriate business moguls who participated in the ceremony were charged a whopping $100.000.00 to sit close to President Akufo-Addo.
According to the audited account for the event, GH¢2, 667, 215, 00 was raised against an expenditure of GH¢2, 367, 426, 06 per a statement from the Ministry.
The government through the Minister of Information, Mustapha Hamid, issued a statement exonerating the Ministry of any wrongdoing.
The Minority, however, in parliament insisted there was wrongdoing leading to the establishment of the five-member committee.
“I believe those who turned up were very important to us [committee], material to the event and their testimonies will help us to go a long way towards resolving the matter at stake,” said Buaben Asamoah.
He said the committee is likely to have one more sitting and then commence the writing of its report.
The Committee was handed a week extension as its expiration date is today.
Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/103.5FM
