$100k Saga: I didn’t charge for MUSIGA Grand Ball – Akufo-Addo

President Akufo-Addo has poked fun at the possible parliamentary enquiry into allegations that the Ministry of Trade and Industry charged between $25,000 and $100,000 to grant expatriates access to his seat at the first ever Ghana Expatriates Business Awards last month.

Speaking at the 2017 MUSIGA Grand Ball held at the Banquet Hall of the State House, President Akufo-Addo said he hopes the MUSIGA Presidential Grand Ball, of which participants paid Gh¢1,500.00 as participation fee will not become a subject of parliamentary enquiry too.

“I hope that it will not be said that I asked people to pay a Gh¢1,500 to come and have dinner with me tonight. This is a MUSIGA Presidential Ball and it should stay as such else I’ll be the subject of parliamentary enquiry,” Akufo-Addo joked.

Parliamentary Enquiry

The Speaker of Parliament, Professor Mike Oquaye, has summoned Parliament for an emergency sitting on Friday, January 5, 2018. The Speaker’s objective in reconvening Parliament is as a result of an earlier written request to him by the Minority Caucus urging him to call for an emergency sitting over claims that levies were collected by the Ministry of Trade and Industry from expatriates in order for them to be allocated certain seats at the recent Ghana Expatriates Business Awards in Accra.

Support for MUSIGA

The President in his speech eulogised past and present Ghanaian musicians for their contribution towards national development. President Akufo-Addo also pledged government’s continued support for the music industry in Ghana.

The event was also used to celebrate and honour five outstanding High life Musicians with MUSIGA lifetime Achievement Awards. They were CK Man, Obuoba JA Adofo, Nana Ampadu, AB Crentsil, and Jewel Ackah. Each of them received Gh¢10,000.00 and a plaque. A former chairman of NCCE, Ebo Hakson, Charter House and MTN received music pillar awards and Samuel Afari Dartey received the Grand Ball distinguished honour.

The MUSIGA Grand Ball

The MUSIGA Grand Ball is an annual event hosted by MUSIGA. The event is to raise funds for the ageing musicians’ welfare fund which supports musicians who are 60 years and above and also assist musicians who are bereaved and incapacitated.

The event also honours personalities and companies for their unflinching support for the development of the creative arts in Ghana and the music industry in particular.

The Grand Ball brings together captains of industry, state officials and other leaders of society on a night of wining and dining with some of the finest musicians in the land. The event also offers huge networking opportunities to participants.