‘Cash-for-seat’ probe extends sitting
The five-member Ad hoc Committee of Parliament investigating the ‘cash-for-seat’ saga has been given a one-week extension to complete its work and present its report to Parliament for consideration.
The committee was expected to present its report to the House yesterday but was unable to do so because of its inability to complete its work on the scheduled date.
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Presenting the business statement for the first week of the House yesterday, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, said the decision to extend the time was based on a mutual agreement by the leadership of both sides of the House after the committee had made a request for the extension of time.
"Mr Speaker, leadership is informed that the committee has not been able to conclude its public sitting on the matter and wants an extension of time to finish the inquiry. Leadership has, accordingly, agreed to the request and granted it one more week.
“In the event, the committee is required to submit the report not later than Wednesday, January 31, 2018," he said.
Failed appearance
Expatriate businesses last Tuesday, January 16, 2018 failed to appear before the committee, compelling it to cut short its work.
Prior to the adjournment of its sitting, the Chairman of the committee, Mr Kwasi Ameyaw Cheremeh, had given an assurance that the expatriate businesses would be re-engaged on a later date.
Motion
On January 5, 2018, the Minority Chief Whip, Alhaji Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, moved a motion at an emergency parliamentary sitting, calling on the House to investigate the alleged levies collected by the Ministry of Trade and Industry of the Ghana cedi equivalent of up to US$100,000 from expatriate businesses and related matters during the recently held Ghana Expatriate Business Awards (GEBA) in Accra.
According to him, documents at his disposal clearly showed that some monies were collected from expatriates, which he described as unethical.
The motion was seconded by the Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, and the Speaker subsequently constituted the five-member ad hoc committee to investigate the matter.
The members are the Majority Chief Whip, Mr Cheremeh, Chairman; the MP for Adenta, Yaw Buabeng-Asamoah; the MP for New Juaben South, Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah; the MP for Ketu North, Mr James Klutse Avedzi, and the MP for Bolgatanga East, Dr Dominic Ayine.