Alan Kyetremanteng, the Minister for Trade and Industry while responding to the questions at the committee sitting has disclosed that GHS31,500 was released to the Ghana Expatriate Business Awards (GEBA) Planning Committee as sitting allowance.

Speaking at the Cash-for-seat Investigative Committee, the committee tasked to establish if monies were extorted from expatriates during the event, Mr Kyeremanteng stated that the money included taxes paid to the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

The taxes were for the allowances paid to the Committee members and an amount of GHS10,000 was disbursed for press facilitation.

The Trade Minister sat for hours responding to ambiguous issues on the the Ministry's partnership with the Millennium Excellence Foundation (MEF) and the use of funds raised during the occasion of the Ghana Expatriates Business Awards (GEBA).

He indicated that he asked for the event funds to be deposited in the account of the Ministry for accountability and transparency.

He further said that of GHS2,667,215 was gatherd at the event and was released on a needed grounds.

Adding that the Chief Director of the Ministry was given GHS3,00 for retreat facilitation..

He further stated that the claims of the minority that the monies were extorted from the Business expats was not the case.

Alhaji Muntaka, the Minority Whip while speaking to Accra based radio station Joy FM has said there is more to what the Trade Minister stated.

He questioned “If you ask people to bring specific documentation and they bring you list of people who have paid what are they running away from?”.

Alhaji Muntaka further stated that he has presented the committee in charge with further documents to affirm his claims of the misconduct, saying that a bipartisan work will be done

Ghanaguardian.com