The Minority in parliament has called for an emergency sitting to probe what has become to be known as the ‘expat extortion saga’ at the recent Ghana Expatriate Business Awards held in Accra.
The awards ceremony generated massive controversy after it emerged that expats were asked to pay a whopping $100, 000 to sit by the President.
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 – organisers of the event – Victor Gbeho confirmed that expatriate businesses were charged monies to sit close to the president.
The Minister of Information Mustapha Hamid last week Thursday issued a statement stating that the Minister for Trade and Industry did nothing wrong.
In a subsequent statement, the Trade Minister Alan Kyerematen disclosed that following the event, the Ministry in collaboration with the event organizers have audited the account for the event and can confirm that amount of Ghs2,667,215,00 was raised against an expenditure of Ghs2,367,426,06. It is acknowledged that the event organisers, as private sector commercial operators are entitled to a fair return for their efforts in organizing the event.
The Trade Minister also stated that neither the President nor any official of the Presidency directly or indirectly, or even remotely was connected with the said event.
That notwithstanding the Minority has requested the Speaker to summon the House for a special sitting to investigate circumstances leading to the monies charged.
Also, it questioned the President’s clearance of the Trade Minister in connection with the matter, insisting that the government was selling access to the President.
“We are going to insist on parliamentary enquiry. Who audits the auditor? So the presidency think they can set their own questions and mark them and give themselves A? It is impossible. Parliament bi-partisan probe is going to come in. we are going to insist on it,” Minority spokesperson on Finance Casiel Ato Forson told Starr News’ Parliamentary Correspondent Ibrahim Alhassan.
He said the committee should be expected early January.
Source: Ghana/StarrFMonline.com/103.5FM
