Cash-for-seat committee begins work today

 Parliament is to begin probe into what has become known as the ‘cash-for-seat’ saga on Thursday, January 11, 2018, which is expected to be telecast live. The five-member ad hoc committee set up by the Speaker of Parliament, Mike Aaron Oquaye, would investigate claims that expatriates paid as high as US$100,000 to sit close to President Akufo-Addo at an event. The ad-hoc committee is made up of two minority members and three majority members. The committee is chaired by Ameyaw Kyereme, MP for Sunyani East. Other members are Dr. Mark Asibey Yeboah, MP for New Juabeng South; Yaw Buabeng Asamoah, MP for Adentan;  James Avedzi, MP for Ketu North;  and Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, MP for Bolga East. The investigation was triggered by a petition signed by about 80 members of the minority Members of Parliament that accused the Trade and Industry Ministry of levying expatriates at the Ghana Expatriate Business Awards held in Accra late last year.  The expatriates were allegedly asked by the ministry to pay from USD25,000 to USD100,000 to sit close to the President, Nana Akufo-Addo at the event. READ MORE The five-member committee constituted on January 5 was therefore given terms of reference to concentrate on. They are: 1. To investigate the alleged levy and collection of sums of money by the Ministry of Trade and Industry from expatriate businesses during the recently held Ghana Expatriate Business Awards event in Accra; 2. To inquire whether any payments were made and received and, if so, how disbursement was effected and whether any such disbursement offended any law; 3. To investigate any relevant related matters, and 4. To recommend appropriate measures aimed at redressing violations, if any, that may have occurred and the prevention of any such violations; and report to Parliament on the 24th of January, 2018. Source:3news.com | Ghana  ]]>