The Ameyaw Cheremeh Committee, probing the allegation of illegal levies and collection of monies by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, on Tuesday suspended sitting because witnesses invited for the day did not show up.
The Committee of Inquiry, dubbed; the “Cash for Seat” Probe, had invited 23 expatriate businesses that sponsored the GEBA Awards last December, but none of them was present to testify when the Committee sat at 1000 hours, at the Parliament House, in Accra.
The Chairman of the five-member bi-partisan Committee and Member of Parliament for Sunyani East, Mr Kwasi Ameyaw Cheremeh, said the Committee gave the witnesses 1000 hours.
“We have written to them, we gave them 1000 hours to appear before us, unfortunately we have waited up till now, it is 1110 hours, none has shown up. So we are unable to continue the work of the Committee for the day.
“We will adjourn and probably re-contact them to appear before us at a later date. We will give them that opportunity to appear before us,” he said.
Spokesperson for the Committee and MP for Adentan, Mr Yaw Buabeng Asamoah, told journalists that the absence of the witnesses was not officially communicated to the Committee.
Though no reason had been assigned for their absence, he said an option of an in-camera hearing "has never been closed".
He said, however, that option must be justified on merit, adding that the absence of the expatriate business leaders affected the pace at which the Committee gathered the evidence, which "puts pressure" on the committee to complete its work.
He said sittings would continue as soon as discussions were concluded with the invited expatriates and a date would be fixed for the meeting.
“As soon as we have a road-map, as soon as we have fixed a date convenient to the Committee and to them, we will inform you.
“...We have given them sufficient information, we will go back and sort it out and we will meet them,” Mr Buabeng Asamoah said.
The Committee was set up on January 5, after an emergency recall of Parliament.
This followed a motion by Minority Chief Whip, Alhaji Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, for parliamentary probe into alleged levies and collection of monies by the Ministry of Trade in connection with the organisation of the 2017 GEBA.
The Ministry was accused of collecting monies and levies to allow participants sit close to the "President" at that event.
The Committee, which began work on Thursday, January 11, 2018, has up to Tuesday, January 24, to submit its report, but Mr Asamoah said the time schedule was tight.
“So obviously if we hit a roadblock I wouldn't be surprised if there is an extension,” he said, adding that there was a lot of work to be done to gather evidence to prepare a report for Parliament.
Source: GNA
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THE EXPATRIATE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IN GHANA SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO BECOME VICTIMSSS OF WHIMSSS AND CAPRICESSS OF OKUDJETO. AT WORST THE PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRY SHOULD SEEK ANY CLARIFICATION FROM THEM IN WRITING. THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE SHOULD WRITE TO REQUEST FROM THEM WHATEVER THEY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW AND IT SHOULD SUFFICE OF THEM TO RESPOND TO THE COMMITTEE SIMPLY BY WRITING. NEVER SHOULD THE EXPATRIATE BUSINESS BE SUBJECTED TO THE WASTE OF TIME, ENERGY AND RESOUCES EXERCISE INSTIGATED BY OKUDJETO AND AND HIS COHORT WITH NO SIGNIFICANT BASIS.
Why is it that the NDC did not allow parliament to investigate the JOhn Mahama-Kanazoe ford bribe? These NDC t.h.i.e.v.es are mischievous... They are nation wreckers... NPP must not allow these greedy NDC guys to distract us and waist everybody's time......
PLEASE, DONT BOTHER THE EXPATRIATES FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS. 1. NO EXPATRIATES HAS COMPLAINED ABOUT ANY EXTORTION OF MONEY FROM THEM BY ANYBODY. THE ALLEGATION OF NDC MPS IS MADE OUT OF THEIR OWN MISCHIEVOUS IMAGINATION. 2. OKUDJETO AND THE NDC MPS HAVE NOT SUCCEEDED TO IMPLICATE ANY EXPATRIATES BUSINESS IN THEIR CLAIMS. THEY HAVE NO DOCUMENTS NOR STATEMENTS TO ACHIEVE THAT EFFECT. 3. PARLIAMENT CANNOT WASTE EVERYBODY TIME. THE PRESIDENT CANNOT BE INVITED BECAUSE SOME MISCHIEVOUS CHARLATANS DISAGREE WITH EXONERATION OF ITS MINISTRY, NOR ON THE BASIS OF ANY OTHER BASELESS CLAIMS. LIKEWISE EXPATRIATES BUSINESS SHOULD NOT BE BOTHERED FOR THEIR BENEVOLENCE AND DONATIONS. WE, GHANAIANS, EXPECT OUR REPRESENTATIVES AT PARLIAMENT TO BE GRATEFUL AND NOT VILE AND BALEFUL. 4. THE ALLEGATION OF NDC HAS NO MERIT AS SEEN ALREADY IN PRESENTATIONS OF NDC MPs, TRADE AND INDUSTRY MINISTRY AND MILLENNIUM EXCELLENT FOUNDATION. 5. EXCEPT FOR POLITICAL SIGNIFICANCE, THE MOTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN REJECTED AS INCOMPETENT. IT IS THEREFORE ECONOMIC IMPRUDENCE TO INVOLVE THE EXPATRIATES BUSINESS IN SUCH A DIRTY DOMESTIC POLITICS. 6.MOST GHANAIANS HAVE, BY NOW, COME TO KNOW THAT THE ALLEGATION WAS MADE OUT OF DIABOLIC POLITICAL PROPAGANDA 7. WE SHOULD THEREFORE NOT DO THINGS THAT WILL DISCOURAGE THE INTEREST OF EXPATRIATE BUSINESS IN THE NATION. THE FACTS GATHERED SO FAR ARE ADEQUATE ENOUGH TO DETERMINE ANY CONCLUSION THE INVESTIGATION HAS REVEALED. IT IS NO NEED TO BOTHER THE THE EXPATRIATE BUSINESS SECTOR.
why will thy leave their busy schedules to attend a us3l3ss meeting. they are not from sh#th>ole countries like u and I, and know what to do with their time. these ndc sh%t>oles have made it their aim to waste everybody's time be4 dey go to jail and we are all following them in their n0ns3ns3. it amazes me that we have to set up committees based on allegations but no committee was set up to investigate all the corrupt deals under them. ndc is just trying to paint the npp govt corrupt due to the fear of the SP. it is a political strategy and they have asked Muntaka and that dog-like teeth man to spearhead that agenda. everytime Muntaka will start the allegation then ablakwa will take it from there. then the others will follow suit by backing here and there. this is a us3l3ss committee and I hope the we put some measures in place to stop those two guys otherwise they will continue to waste our time.
This npp thiev s businessmen knew they are going to be expoused that is why they fail to come. Allan and co is God to you only,allan and co are courrope .have forgotten so soon ken 2.25 bond ,80,000 turn to be 800,000, cash for seat, tema oil , Boakye agyako bribe in parement,. the businessmen dident come because it is true
This NDC s.hit.hole committee is a waist of time for the expatriate businessmen that is why none of the 23 invited turn up. They have better things to do with their precious time. What did the committee want from them that you have not heard from Alan and co? Use11ess committee...