According to Citi News’ Parliamentary Correspondent, Duke Mensah Opoku, the expatriates appeared before the Committee today, [Tuesday], and were grilled for close to three hours.

Duke says for now, the content of the interrogation is unknown, and may only be available when the Committee finally presents its report.

He added that, more of the expatriates are also expected to appear before the Committee this week.

At the Committee’s last sitting on January 16, 2018, the Committee suspended sitting because none of the expatriates invited to testify showed up.

According to Chairman of the Committee, Kwasi Ameyaw Cheremeh, although they had written official letters to the expatriates to appear before them, none showed up. As a result, the sitting was adjourned indefinitely.

It may thus come as a surprise that whilst many were expecting the expatriates to turn up for the public hearing; the Committee chose to have that session in-camera.

There had been initial reports that the expatriates were unwilling to appear publicly to be interrogated, in their quest to protect their businesses in a highly political matter such as this.

This perhaps explains why the Committee did not announce its intention to have an in-camera hearing to the media.

The Majority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, in an interview with Citi News, stated that the expatriates had pleaded with the Committee to allow them an in-camera hearing, a request that has been granted.

“The Chief Whip for the Majority who’s the chairman of the Committee, informed myself and the Minority Leader that they had run into a bit of a roadblock, in the sense that, some of the businesses that they invited, had indicated that they wouldn’t want to sit in public, and they would want some in-camera meeting. It’s for the Committee to determine, and the Committee I think has agreed they will meet them in-camera and hear from them, which is why when we met this [Tuesday] morning at the business committee level, I informed the Minority Leader of the Committee’s application, and we all agreed that we should grant them an extension in order for them to be able to report by latest Wednesday, 31st of January”.

Committee’s timeline extended to January 31

Meanwhile, the Committee has been given a one-week extension after they requested for additional time. They are now to present their report on January 31, 2018, instead of the original date of January 24.

This was confirmed to Citi News by the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu.

‘Cash-for-seat’ C’ttee charged to meet deadline

Early on today [Tuesday], the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joe Osei-Owusu, asked the Committee set up to probe the alleged extortion of monies from expatriates during the 2017 Ghana Expatriates Business Awards, to ensure that they meet the deadline given to them by the House, and submit their report accordingly.

“As you know, our mandate of scrutinizing government business and holding public officials to account gained a lot of public interest till the ad-hoc committee was setup to investigate the alleged collection of various sums of monies from expatriates business during the Expatriates Business Awards in Accra. I suppose that substantial work has been done by the Committee to meet the deadline given by Mr. Speaker to enable the House consider the report during this week,” he added.

The First Deputy Speaker made the call on Tuesday when he welcomed Members of Parliament to the House from their Christmas break.

Background of “cash for seat” saga

The Ministry of Trade, which partnered the event organizers, Millennium Excellence Foundation, is alleged to have charged between $25,000 and $100,000, to enable expatriates to sit close to the President at the awards ceremony.

The allegation was first made by the Minority Chief Whip, Muntaka Mubarak in Parliament in December 2017.

Mr. Mubarak said the fees charged at the Ghana Expatriate Business Awards were not approved by Parliament, adding that the monies were also not accounted for in the Internally Generated Funds [IGF] of the Ministry’s accounts.

The allegation was further reinforced by Mr. Ablakwa, who suffered verbal assaults from Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry, Carlos Ahenkorah over the matter.

The Ministry of Trade said it played no role in determining prices for seats at the event, and clarified that it only facilitated the implementation of a new initiative by the Millennium Excellence Foundation.

But the Ministry after an order from the President to probe the matter clarified that an amount of GHc2, 667,215 was realized from the event. This was made known only after the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, had asked the Trade Minister Alan Kyerematen, to investigate the matter and report to him.

The organizers of the Awards had also explained that no one paid to sit close to the President, and that the amount was raised from sponsorship through a fundraising at the event.

Parliament subsequently formed a five-member bi-partisan committee to investigate the matter.

Others interrogated

So far, the Minority Chief Whip, Mohammed Mubarak-Muntaka, North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kyeremateng as well as officials from the Millennium Excellence Foundation, organizers of the Ghana Expatriates Business Awards, have all appeared before the committee.

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By: Ebenezer Afanyi Dadzie/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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This was disclosed by the District Chief Executive for Kwabre East, Nana Osei Assibey Bonsu after an emergency meeting with stakeholders.

[contextly_sidebar id=”ycxdBymCjA8Wmeu5bVS6ei88Fc9cSDuN”]The students, who vandalized the headmaster’s bungalow and other school properties over what they described as his refusal to allow them to partake in activities such as inter-schools sports and entertainment.

The police were subsequently dispatched to the school to maintain law and order.

Four students were admitted following the protests but two were discharged on Monday. The other two are reported to be responding to treatment.

Mr Assibey Bonsu said the police officers deployed to the school will remain stationed there until there is absolute calm.

He further indicated that either the school or government will bear the cost of damages, depending on recommendations of the Committee.

“Experts will go round and assess the extent of the damages and let us have the cost of the total damages and we are waiting for the report of the committee. If the committee recommends that the schools will pay, fine they will pay. If the committee recommends that government will pay or the schools should pay, that is where we will take it from so we are waiting for the school’s recommendation.”

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By: Hafiz Tijani/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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According to Chairman of the Committee, Kwasi Ameyaw Cheremeh, although they had written official letters to the expatriates to appear before them today, “none have shown up so we are unable to continue with the work of the committee for the day.”

[contextly_sidebar id=”vKtemfFDsD8iUrX0bbzAkgPW5Tbpjl9r”]“…So we adjourn and probably contact them again to appear before us at a later date to be determined by the Committee. We will give them that opportunity to appear before us,” he told the media who were present to cover the sitting.

The Committee, which has been sitting since last Thursday, is supposed to present its report to Parliament on January 24, 2018.

So far, the Minority Chief Whip, Mohammed Mubarak-Muntaka, North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kyeremateng as well as officials from the Millennium Excellence Foundation, organizers of the Ghana Expatriates Business Awards, have all appeared before the committee.

Prior to today’s hearing, Tuesday, there were indications that even the Committee Chairman did not know how many of the expatriates who made financial commitments at the event were to appear before them.

There are suggestions the expatriate business executives may not show up due to the political nature of the matter, and the effect it could have on their businesses going forward.

Background

The Ministry of Trade, supporters of the Awards, was alleged to have charged between $25,000 and $100,000, to enable expatriates to sit close to the President at the awards ceremony, which was organised by the Millennium Excellence Foundation.

The allegation was first made by the Minority Chief Whip, Muntaka Mubarak, in Parliament in December 2017.

Mr. Mubarak said the fees charged at the Ghana Expatriate Business Awards were not approved by Parliament, adding that the monies were also not accounted for in the Internally Generated Funds [IGF] of the Ministry’s accounts.

The issue was further reinforced by Mr Ablakwa, who suffered verbal assaults from Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry, Carlos Ahenkorah over the matter.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry initially dissociated itself from these allegations.

The Trade Ministry, in a statement, said it played no role in determining prices for seats at the event and clarified that it only facilitated the implementation of a new initiative by the Millennium Excellence Foundation.

But the Ministry after an order from the President to probe the matter clarified that an amount of GHc 2,667,215 was realized from the event.

The organizers of the Awards had also explained that no one paid to sit close to the President and that the amount was raised from sponsorship through a fundraising at the event.

Parliament subsequently formed a five member bi-partisan committee to investigate the matter.

–

By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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The Chairman of the Committee, Ameyaw Kyeremeh, who gave the advice in his opening remarks at the committee’s first public sitting today [Thursday], said: “As we are about to commence work or proceedings in this respect, it is our wish that we all refrain from making statements that are likely to prejudice the work and the outcome of the committee.”

[contextly_sidebar id=”JvRoeeBJmDrbTqaem4dqwbAgoqIsILS5″]The Committee has three members of the Majority namely Ameyaw Kyeremeh, Majority Chief Whip, who is the Chairman of the Committee, Dr. Assibey Yeboah, Chairman of the Finance Committee of Parliament, and Yaw Buabeng Asamoah, MP for Adentan.

On the Minority side are James Klutsey Avedzie, Deputy Minority Leader, and Dominic Ayine, the MP for Bolgatanga East.

The committee will mainly focus on:

• Investigating the alleged levy and collection of sums of money by the Ministry of Trade and Industry from expatriate businesses

• Inquiring whether any payments were made or received, and if so how disbursement was effected, and whether any disbursements offended any law

• Recommending any relevant related matters

• Recommending appropriate measures aimed at redressing violations if any that may have occurred, and the prevention of any such violations in the future.

The committee is expected to report to Parliament on January 24, 2018.

The Minority Chief Whip, Muntaka Mubarak, who made the first appearance before the committee, provided several documents including news items from online news portals and elsewhere, to buttress his claims of extortion by the Ministry.

Background

The extortion allegations was first made in Parliament by the Minority Chief Whip, Muntaka Mubarak, in December 2017.

According to him, some of the expatriates were charged as much as $100,000 to sit close to the President.

Mr. Mubarak said the fees charged were not approved by Parliament, adding that the monies were also not accounted for in the Internally Generated Funds [IGF] of the Ministry’s accounts.

The issue was further reinforced by Mr. Ablakwa, who suffered verbal attack from Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry, Carlos Ahenkorah over the matter.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry initially dissociated itself from these allegations.

In a statement, the Ministry said it played no role in determining prices for seats at the event, and clarified that it only facilitated the implementation of a new initiative by the Millennium Excellence Foundation.

But the Ministry after an order from the President to probe the matter, clarified that an amount of GHc 2,667,215 was realized from the event.

The organizers of the Awards had also explained that no one paid to sit close to the President, and that the amount raised was gotten from sponsorship through a fundraising at the event.

–

By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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His call comes a day after Citi News gathered from the National Petroleum Authority’s series of letters to the National Premix Committee, that between January to October 2017, about 200 premix fuel consignments loaded from the Tema Oil Refinery, were not delivered to the intended destinations indicated on the invoices and Returns of the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs).

NPA’s not doing enough

[contextly_sidebar id=”CpjuFycMWzANZGoEISRRfU5T5ZWj847N”]Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show, Mr. Owusu admitted that, although NPA is devising strategies to resolve the problem, it has to adopt a stiffer approach by sanctioning culprits.

“This issue is a canker that has been devouring the premix system. NPA is trying to resolve the problem but I think NPA has to be stiffer and more active in what they are doing because they are the regulators, and if there is a tracker, tracking a product from one vehicle to another and NPA as a regulator has been able to identify that this product has been diverted, the best thing that the NPA has to do is that the OMC should be sanctioned and stiffer punishment given as they have done in the case of the normal petroleum products; diesel and etc.

“You know there use to be a problem with diesel being diverted, going into foreign countries. NPA has brought some form of stiffer measures that if you are caught diverting product, your car is confiscated. NPA then auctions the car and the product is sold, and because of that, this incident of diverting fuel to the foreign countries has reduced drastically. So I believe the NPA should be up and doing. Writing a letter to the premix committee to stop loading those products is not enough,” he said.

Surprisingly, in each of the eight months that the NCA wrote a letter to the Premix Committee, the diversions increased in number.

Political cartels

Asked whether there are cartels in the petroleum sector who victimize persons willing to speak up and expose culprits involved in the act, Mr. Owusu responded in the affirmative, saying these cartels are “real and political.”

“Some of us have been checking all over talking about these cartels, but we are ready to die for our country so that is why we keep speaking about this issue because it is a lucrative business. I can equate this business to cocaine business because it is something that when you do you make money so people do not care about killing you if you are trying to block them.”

Premix fuel sector gold mine for party executives – Inland Fisherman

Chairman of the National Inland Canoe Fishermen Council, Jacob Tetteh Ageke, had suggested that political party executives in various constituencies are involved in the act, adding that they profit hugely from the mismanagement of the distribution.

Mr. Owusu confirmed this, reminding the NPA to be tough regardless of political influence.

“The issue lies with NPA. NPA has to be tough irrespective of whoever is there because these are political people who have taken a position in this premix issue so it is very risky as an authority trying to stamp your authority on these things. I believe the NPA can do more. “

Pre-mix fuel diversion: We can’t punish perpetrators – Committee

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the National Pre-mix Fuel committee, Nii Lantey Bannerman, has said his outfit does not have the power to sanction persons who divert subsidized premix fuel meant for fishermen to other areas to be sold to industries.

According to him, only the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) can sanction or withdraw the licenses of the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) who perpetrate such acts.

OMCs making abnormal profit from diversions

The government is spending several millions of cedis subsidizing the cost of premix fuel for fishermen, who are buying it at Gh7.20 pesewas per gallon.

Per Citi News’ calculations, the diversions from January to October alone have cost the country about 7 million cedis.

However, there are reports that those diverting the product are selling it to industries about two times the price, thereby creating artificial shortages in the fishing communities, and denying fishermen their due.

Below is a list of instances of pre-mix fuel diversion

Fishing industry collapsing

This is happening at a time when fishing communities in need of the fuel hardly get access to it due to its shortage and high cost in their respective areas.

The lack of the product in these communities affects the activities of fisherfolks, eventually leading to fewer catches, allowing excess importation of fish and fish products from other countries.

–

By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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A statement from the office of the former President indicated that “some members of the party are seeking to solicit information from executives and members of the NDC, claiming that they are being sponsored by the Office of HE John Dramani Mahama.”

[contextly_sidebar id=”8QDG9zZo4gLx66WCRoQG4kd27ymOojRQ”] The statement , which was signed by special aide to the President , Joyce Mogtari, advised the culprits to desist from such acts, saying “we wish to strongly advise them to desist from such acts of impersonation and misinformation, particularly as we all continue to work towards reorganizing the party across the country.”

The statement further indicated that, the President “had not constituted any team to undertake a post Kwesi Botchwey Committee survey” as it is being reported.

The 13-member Kwesi Botcwey committee set up by the NDC to probe its defeat in the 2016 election presented its findings to the National Executive Council (NEC) in June.

As part of its recommendation, the committee asked the party to take a holistic look at the party’s biometric electoral register.

The statement from the office of the former President is below

The Office of HE John Dramani Mahama wishes to inform all members, supporters and sympathisers of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) that the Former President has not constituted any team to undertake a post Kwesi Botchwey Committee survey.

We have over the last week received reports from across the country about the activities of some members of the Party seeking to solicit information from executives and members of the NDC, claiming that they are being sponsored by the Office of HE John Dramani Mahama.

We wish to strongly advise them to desist from such acts of impersonation and misinformation, particularly as we all continue to work towards reorganizing the Party across the country.

Joyce Bawah Mogtari Special Aide Monday July 10, 2017

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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The Election Review Committee, which will be chaired by a Senior Law Lecturer at the University of Ghana, Dr. Adusei Poku, has been commissioned to look into what contributed to the party’s victory in the polls.

[contextly_sidebar id=”7CREIQYlCHFDFEmNvW7ynqpgcNFUSyWx”]The Committee has six weeks to present its report and recommend what steps the party must take to ensure it retains power.

Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, the acting General Secretary of the NPP, John Boadu, said the mandate of the committee is “to provide a detailed and honest analysis of the 2016 elections countrywide on structures and operations of the party at all levels.”

The committee is also expected to “produce a clear concise, but detailed report to form the basis for the party’s campaign to win in the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections and beyond,” Mr. Boadu added.

The Committee will also “provide objective review of the current party relationships and other matters that will come before them as a committee.

The Chairman of the Committee, Dr. Adusei Poku, says a review of the party’s performance is necessary, despite its victory in the 2016 elections.

“In any form of review is an exercise that occurs after an event or process has happened. In this case, it is a post-mortem exercise. We do that because we want to uncover what occurred in order to forestall what will happen or in order to predict what should happen in the future. This will go a long way to assist the NPP to strengthen its position in 2020, so that we can win power and serve the people of Ghana.”

John Mahama became the first incumbent President to lose a re-election bid, to then opposition candidate Nana Akufo-Addo, who made his third attempt at the presidency.

Nana Addo won the December presidential poll with an overwhelming 53.85% of the total valid votes cast, against Mahama’s 44.40%.

Kwesi Botchwey chairs committee to diagnose NDC’s defeat

John Mahama’s National Democratic Congress (NDC), already has a committee in place to look into why the party lost the polls, and what could be done going forward to ensure their return to government.

The committee, which was formed by the NDC’s Functional Executive Committee (NEC), and approved by its Council of Elders, is being chaired by a Former Minister of Finance and Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission, Kwesi Botchwey.

–

By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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The committee is expected to report on their investigation to the House by the end of the third week of this month (Apirl) after the House resumes sitting from recess.

The Committee is to find out among others, what led to the disaster, what lessons and what could be done to prevent a re-occurrence.

[contextly_sidebar id=”JCsYKzOB16B6v3W4K8HqMonpR0g7ibvD”]Nineteen people were reported dead, and a number of others seriously injured in the disaster that befell the nation at the water falls in the Brong Ahafo Region, on Sunday, March 19, 2017.

The Speaker’s directive followed statements on the disaster, by Ms Freda Prempeh, MP for Tano North, and Mr. Kwasi Etu-Bonde, MP Kintampo North on the floor of the House in Accra on Tuesday.

The victims, mostly students of the Wenchi Methodist Senior High School and the School of Energy and Natural Resources at Fiapre, were on an excursion and swimming in the water beneath when the tumbling tree crushed them to death.

“A huge tree fell at the top when the rains began and crushed the revelers,” an eyewitness recounted.

The two MPs as well as other contributors to their statements, extended condolences to the bereaved families.

They noted that, much as the necessary spiritual interventions had been carried out, it was necessary to mount enough surveillance at the tourist site to protect visitors there.

Meanwhile, Mrs Catherine Abelema Afeku, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, contributing to the statement announced that, an audit of the site, and other tourist sites across country would soon be carried out.

She said the objective was to make them safer, and attract more tourists.

–

Source: GNA

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The report is expected to explain the circumstances surrounding the scandal, and make some recommendations on the way forward on the issue, which many say has dented the image of the House.

[contextly_sidebar id=”5PKPPNq1VIvZyRDCT7kQl893dqnN97ku”]Speaking to Citi News’ Richard Dela Sky ahead of the reading of the report to Parliament Thursday evening, Mr. Ghartey insisted that the report can be trusted, since no one attempted interfering with the work of the committee.

He further revealed that, the committee took the painstaking effort to go through a very transparent process to arrive at its conclusions

“If I didn’t not think that it was credible, I would not have put it out. We have gone through a very transparent process and we have come to conclusions, having debated it thoroughly. I can tell you that two days ago, we met and we worked till morning and we argued each line. We never came to a conclusion that we have to vote. We tried to work with unanimity, where we had different opinions we stated it and we found a way around it. We disagreed on a lot of things.”

“.. I think with the nature of our work, it is important that we have some kind of insulation and I can say that nobody in this legislature tried to influence us in anyway. We have been meeting overnight. Even yesterday we met till 12.o clock. We found a very democratic process and I want to thank the members of my team. In the beginning I said to them that this was a serious matter and we must maintain the integrity of this House.”

Report to be debated

Members of Parliament will be given the opportunity to debate the report, according to Mr. Ghartey.

He was however unable to tell the specific time the debate will take off.

“Whether it will be debated today or tomorrow I don’t know. After we present the report, it is debated and they agree. There is flexibility. We are making recommendations.”

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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This comes after some foot soldiers of the party prevented regional executives for engaging in a similar meeting with the fact-finding committee on [Thursday] at the Eredec Hotel in the Eastern Regional capital, Koforidua.

[contextly_sidebar id=”Ny7kHmS2dET9qDah3gtEEQt2wx5nLrtd”]The committee was scheduled to meet NDC branch executives from Asougyamang, Asesewa, Odumase and Somanya constituencies, to deliberate on issues which led to their defeat in the December elections.

Denis Astu Benya,the spokesperson for a group calling itself “The Concerned Youth of NDC” in Lower manya, who confirmed the clash to Citi News, accused a branch chairman of the party, David Hormenu Walter of assaulting their leader, Doe David, a former TEIN Vice President.

They claimed that he ordered his body guards to descend on them as they tried to present a petition to Dr. Kwesi Botchwey calling for the resignation of all party branch executives.

He said “we heard that Kwesi Botchwey committee will be meeting party executives so we decided to organize ourselves once again and send our petition to him and also tell him our grievances, as our leader tried to approach Dr. Kwasi Botchwey to hand over our petition to him, chairman David Walter walked to him tried to prevent him from doing so and started assaulting him, he then called their body guards to descend on us and the scene was not pleasant at all”

The spokesperson added that, the police was later called in to restore order. “The police swiftly moved in to separate us but our leader has lodged a complaint of assault at the police station against chairman Walter.”

The group on several occasions this year locked the party office, preventing branch executives from operating, and also petitioned both Regional and National executives of the party calling for their branch executives to step down as they believe they caused the party’s poor performance during the December elections.

All attempts to reach the party chairman Mr. David Hormenu Walter for his reaction, have proved futile.

NDC will bounce back – Mahama

This comes barely hours after former President, John Mahama, said on twitter that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) will “bounce back.”  He said members of the party must help to strengthen the party’s base to ensure that it returns to power.

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By: Neil Nii Amatey Kanarku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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