General News of Thursday, 21 December 2017

Source: bbc.com

Ghana MP 'apologises for brawl'

People were allegedly asked to pay $100,000 to sit next to President Nana Akufo-Addo People were allegedly asked to pay $100,000 to sit next to President Nana Akufo-Addo

An MP who started what has been described as a brawl in parliament has apologised to Ghanaians on radio, reports Ghana's Pulse radio.

It all started with an allegation that businessmen were asked to pay between $25,000 (£19,000) and $100,000 to sit next to Ghana's president at an awards ceremony.

Minority Chief Whip Muntaka Mubarak accused Deputy Trade and Industry Minister Carlos Ahenkorah of asking for the money.

He denied taking the money, saying in a statement that he was just facilitating the payment for an event organiser, reports CitiFM.

According to the Starr FM, the organiser, Millennium Excellence Foundation, said it had just been fundraising.

Things really started to heat up yesterday when it was brought up in parliament.

This time another MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, raised the topic, but he was forced to flee the house after the deputy trade minister reportedly shouted him down.

Mr Mubarak is now asking for a full investigation, CitiFM adds.