The Five-member Committee mandated to investigate the “Cash for Seat” saga has dismissed the allegation brought against the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Millennium Excellence Foundation, organisers of the Ghana Expatriate Business Awards.
According to the Committee, there is no merit in the allegation levelled against the Ministry and the Foundation.
Mr Kwesi Ameyaw-Cheremeh, the Chairman of the Committee, presenting the final report to Parliament, said the evidence from the mover of the motion and the one who seconded it were full of speculation, which the Committee could not accept.
He, however, said the Committee, after its sittings, examination and assessment of evidence given before it, came to a conclusion that there was no value in the accusations made against the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
“The Committee, after the hearings, analysis and evaluation of the evidence adduced before it, has come to the conclusion that there is no merit in the allegations levelled against the Ministry of Trade and Industry as contained in the motion and which culminated in the setting up of the Special Committee,” he said.
The Minority had earlier walked out of Parliament to avoid being part of the debate to approve and adopt the report of the Committee, which probed extortion claims against the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
Mr Haruna Iddrisu, the Minority Leader, ahead of the boycott, said there was no need to rush the report since Members of Parliament (MPs) were yet to study it.
“I got a copy of my report only this morning and it’s only fair and proper...why the rush and why are you in a hurry? 146-page report in the interest of transparency and accountability, this matter cannot be railroaded through Parliament,” he said.
Mr Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, the Majority Leader, criticised the Minority for attempting to scuttle the “Cash for Seat” Report before Parliament.
He said the debate on the Committee’s Report would proceed with or without the Minority.
Mr Kyei Mensah-Bonsu said the Minority MPs have been pampered for too long and continue to be dishonest to the House.
“This House will not be held to ransom by a single individual who decides to be very dishonest. Mr Speaker this House will not pander to pedestrianism…clearly they want to hold this House to ransom” he added.
The Committee was setup by Speaker Aaron Mike Oquaye after he was petitioned in a motion submitted by the Minority Chief Whip, Alhaji Muntaka Ibrahim Mohammed, and seconded by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Member of Parliament for North Tongu Constituency.
The bi-partisan Committee, chaired by Sunyani East MP Kwasi Ameyaw- Cheremeh, began sitting on Thursday, January 11.
Aside Alhaji Muntaka and Mr Ablakwa, the Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, the Millennium Excellence Foundation (MEF) President, Ashim Morton, MEF Board Chairman, Ambassador Victor Gbeho, and the Controller and Accountant General, Eugene Asante Ofosuhene, were among the persons who appeared before the Committee.
Source: GNA
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THANKS TO MODERN TECHNOLOGY AND THE DECISION TO TELECAST THE INVESTIGATION LIVE. WE COULD ALL JUDGE THAT THERE WERE NO MERITS IN THE ALLEGATIONS WHATSOEVER. MUNTAKA WAS INCONSISTENT. HE KEPT CHANGING POSITIONS AND CLAIMED HE WAS NOT A LAYWER. HE WAS NOT SURE OF MANY THINGS YET HE WAS BOLD ENOUGH TO MAKE CLAIMS THAT WERE INJURIOUS TO PEOPLE REPUTATION. THAT WAS BOYISH AND WICKEDNESS. OKUDZETO WAS JUST STUBBORN AND SACASTICSSS. HE WAS INSINCERE, ADAMANT AND ILLOGICAL. HE WAS IN MANY WAYS BEGGED THE QUESTIONS. HE FAILED TO ANSWER MANY QUESTIONS POSED TO SUBSTANTIATE HIS ALLEGATIONS. HE FAILED TO SUBSTANTIATE ANY. JUST WATCH THE CLIP FROM THE ***barred word***. I ADMIRED AYENI DURING THE INTERROGATION AND HIS POLITENESS. SADLY HE ENDED WOEFULLY, MAY BE FOR THE FEAR OF HIS PARTY MEMBERS. IT WAS DISHONORABLE TO LIED TO HIS COLLEAGUES IN THE COMMITTEE. AFEDZI DURING THE INVESTIGATION AIMED ONLY TO FIND FAULT AND NOT TO ESTABLISH FACTS. HE WAS NOTED FOR ASKING QUESTIONS THAT WERE NOT RELEVANT TO ESTABLISH FACTS OF THE CASE IN QUESTION. HE ENDED UP DISGRACING HIMSELF IF IT HAD NOT BEEN INTERVENED BY VICTOR GBEHO, ONE OF THOSE ACCUSED. WATCH THE CLIP. EVENTUALLY HE ABANDONED SHIP.HE RUN AWAY AT THE CONCLUSION BECAUSE HE COULD NOT FIND FAULT TO ACHIEVE HIS GOAL. VERY SHAMEFUL. THANK TO MR. KYEREMEH HIS OTHERS COLLEAGUES FOR BEING FIRM TO SAVE THE WHOLE PARLIAMENT FROM SHAME, WHEN OTHERS HAD ABANDONED SHIP. THEY HAVE MADE HISTORY. GOD ALLOWED THE NDC MPS IN THE COMMITTEE TO SHOW THEIR TRUE CHARACTER AT THE END SO THAT THEY COULD NOT SHARE IN THE GOOD WORK OF THE COMMITTEE. GOD KNEW THEY HAD DIABOLICCC INTENTION EVEN BEFORE THE TRIAL.