$100k Saga: Minority wasting our time – Nyindam

Member of Parliament for Kpandai, Mathew Nyindam, has said the Minority in Parliament is wasting the time of all parliamentarians with regards to the motion filed in relation to the alleged extortion of $100,000 from expatriate businessmen by the Trade Ministry during the Ghana Expatriate Business Awards held in Accra.

The Speaker of Parliament Professor Mike Aaron Oquaye, has recalled Members of Parliament from recess to enable the House to consider the motion.

The lawmakers are expected to appear on the floor on Friday, 5 January 2018. A statement signed by Kate Addo, Acting Director of Public Affairs, Parliament, said: “Parliament will be recalled to sit on Friday the 5th of January to consider a motion filed by the Minority, calling for investigations into the levy and collection by the Ministry of Trade and Industry of the Ghana Cedi equivalent of various sums of money in the United States of America (US) Dollars from expatriate businesses and related matters during the recently held Ghana Expatriate Business Awards in Accra.

“Article 112 (3) and Standing Order 38 allows 15 per cent of members to request the Speaker to Summon a sitting of the House to consider pertinent issues.

“All honourable members are, therefore, requested to attend upon the House for the consideration of same.”

But speaking in an interview with Obeng Mensah, sit-in host of the Ghana Yensom show on Accra 100.5FM on Wednesday 3 January 2017, Mr Nyindam said “They are just coming to waste our time with the motion.

“Parliament is not a court to try anybody, it is a fact finding body as well but the principle of natural justice demands that the accused be heard and so we have to come and listen to their motion but let me emphasise that the NDC is just coming to waste our time.”

Meanwhile, the presidency in a statement said neither the Ministry of Trade and Industry nor any other official in relation to the alleged payment of $100,000 by expatriates in order to sit at the president’s table at a recent event, did any wrong.

“The facts, as reported to the president, do not disclose any wrongdoing on the part of the Minister or any government official,” the statement signed by Information Minister, Mustapha Hamid, said.