President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has defended his conclusion on the cash-for-seat scandal, saying the work of Parliament’s Investigative Committee does not “shake” his own conviction on the matter.
At a meeting with journalists at the Flagstaff House Wednesday, he said he was satisfied with the Trades Minister’s account of events that led to the organization of the Ghana Expatriate Business Awards (GEBA).
"I asked for an explanation and he gave me the full account of the process that had been taken, the money that had been paid and the use of the money [and] I looked at it and was satisfied," he said.
Related Article: Nothing untoward was done in $100k cash-for-seat scandal – Akufo-Addo
Minority leader Haruna Iddrisu surrounded by some of his colleagues
The Minority in Parliament has rejected the president's conclusion, maintaining some monies were “extorted” from expat businesses by Trades Minister Alan Kyeremanten for a presidential seat at the event.
Related Article: If there is nothing to hide allow probe into cash-for-seat saga – Minority to Majority
The issue is currently a subject of a probe by a Special Investigative Committee set up by Speaker Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye.
At least four key witnesses have appeared before it namely Minority Chief Whip Muntaka Mubarak, North Tongu Member of Parliament (MP) Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Mr Kyeremanten and President of Millennium Excellence Foundation (MEF) Ashim Morton.
Trades Minister Alan Kyeremanten?
The Committee is expected to meet with Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of some selected expat businesses who attended the event.
Although he supported the Speaker’s decision to form the Committee, the president said its conclusion will not be different from his.
“The fact that there is a committee does not shake my own conviction that nothing untoward was done,” the president responded to a question asked by Managing Editor of Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Junior.
He noted Mr Kyeremanten’s statement before the committee is not different from the one he made to him in the heat of the matter.
“I was firm to say to myself that yes an allegation has been made and looked into and I am satisfied with the answer,” he said.
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