Trade Minister, Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanteng has been tasked by President Nana Akufo-Addo to the Presidency to respond to allegations that his ministry charged expatriates between $25,000 and $100,000 to enable them sit close to the President at an awards ceremony.
The order for the Minister to do so, Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin said was given by the President after learning of the impasse between the Deputy Trade Minister, Carlos Ahenkorah and former Deputy Education Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa in Parliament.
Eugene Arhin told Adom News that the President after learning of the impasse demanded to know the full details to make a reasonable judgment.
The Trade Ministry has had bad press in recent times after the summit which was graced by the President.
The Minority in Parliament led by their Chief Whip, Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka alleged on the floor of Parliament when debating the 2018 budget estimate of the Ministry of Trade & Industry that the Ministry charged expatriates between US$25,000 and US$100,000 to offer them seats besides the President of the Republic at the Awards night.
According to him, the fees charged were not the kind of fees approved by Parliament and that the monies were not accounted for in the internally generated fund of the Ministry’s accounts.
The Ministry of Trade & Industry in a statement denied the claim, noting that it played no role in the determination of prices for seats at the event.
But Mr. Ablakwa who was not convinced with the response from the Trade Ministry told the journalists that the act by the Ministry was an affront to the Fees and Charges Act.
To this effect, he urged the Ministry of Trade and Industry to immediately refund the “sums extorted to the expatriates” since the act is a disgrace to the nation.
“This is dubious, immoral and unethical. They are using the Office of the President to extort money from expatriates”, he alleged.
While interacting with the journalists, Mr. Ahinkorah popped up from nowhere waiting for his return to respond to the claims being made by the North Tongu MP.
However, he got angry when Okudzeto Ablakwa accused the Ministry of Trade & Industry of using the Office of the President to extort money from expatriates in the country.
He then interrupted the interview, and accused Okudzeto Ablakwa of being a thief and a liar who has no evidence to back his claims.
“Let him know that he is a thief. You have stolen through your life and you have even lied through your education”, a physically charged Ahenkorah told Okudzeto Ablakwa in the face.
The heated exchange between the Deputy Minister and Okudzeto Ablakwa, Eugene Arhin said is not something the President is happy about and hence has demanded that Alan Kyeremanteng writes to explain further.
He is to do so by 5:00pm today.
Source: Ghana / Adomonline.com / KWAKU NTI
Nana Addo summons Alan over alleged Trade Ministry Extortion
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