The Minority in parliament has threatened to haul Trade Minister Alan Kyeremanten before the house to face sanctions unless his ministry refunds monies collected from expatriate business owners to gain access to the President.

The threat comes on the back of claims contained in a leaked document that business owners were charged as much as $100,000 to sit close to the president at the Ghana Expatriate Business Awards.

Though the Trade Ministry has explained it was not responsible for the supposed charges, the minority is not convinced.

Speaking on the development Monday on Starr Today, the Minority Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said the Trade Minister is likely to be hauled to parliament over the embarrassing spectacle.

“He has breached the fees and charges act and there are clear sanctions to be levelled against the officers involved and if the funds are not refunded we will use parliamentary proceedings to haul the Minister and trigger the sanctions regime,” he told Starr Today’s Atiewin Mbilla-Lawson.

Denial

The Trade ministry explained in a statement Sunday, December 17, 2017 it was not responsible for the supposed charges that expatriate businesses paid during the recently held Ghana Expatriate Business Awards (GEBA) in Accra.

According to the ministry, “the GEBA was the brainchild of the Millennium Excellence Foundation, an entity noted for its prowess and credibility in the organisation of world-class events such as the Millennium Excellence Awards and the Accra Marathon.

“Upon the conception of the novel idea, the Foundation informed the government, through the Presidency and further sought partnership with the Ministry of Trade and Industry in the organisation of the first-ever award event targeted at recognizing and rewarding the contributions of the expatriate and naturalised expatriate community to the socio-economic advancement of the country over the decades. For the avoidance of doubt, this is the first of its kind in Africa”.

The statement comes on the back of claims contained in a leaked document that business owners were charged as much as $100,000 to sit close to the president at the event.

The claim was first made by NDC member of parliament for Asawase Muntaka Mubarak in Parliament.