$100k ‘access fee’ was for fund raising – Gbeho

The Chairman of the Millennium Excellence Foundation, Mr Victor Gbeho, has stated that some $25000 and $100,000 charged per expatriate who sat close to President Nana Akufo-Addo at a recently held awards ceremony organised by the foundation, were for fund raising purposes.

“The truth in the matter must come out,” Mr Gbeho told journalists at a press conference on Wednesday, 20 December, adding: “The figures charged were for fund raising and sponsorship but some of the companies have not even paid”.

The former Ambassador said the foundation will no longer have a presidential table at the event since it has learnt its lesson from the raging controversy over the fund raiser which the Minority in Parliament and some civil society organisations have expressed concerns about.

Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo has summoned his Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kyerematen over the $100,000 for seat saga, Communications Director at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin has said.

“…We want to be clear that we heard it just like almost everybody from the MP for Asawase on the floor of parliament and also through the media. The president had no knowledge whatsoever about the fact that people were being charged $100,000 to sit by him on a table, he had no idea whatsoever,” Mr Arhin stressed.

The President through the Chief of Staff has directed the Minister of Trade and Industry Alan Kyerematen “to come up and brief him and tell him whatever is entailed in this issue because just like you, we have no idea, absolutely no idea, the president had no idea whatsoever that a certain amount of money was being charged by anybody for people to sit by him,” Mr Arhin reiterated in an interview with Emefa Apawu on Accra-based Joy FM.

Mr Arhin said “the president will make a final decision on that matter”, once Mr Kyerematen has briefed him by 5p.m. today, Wednesday, 20 December.

Mr Arhin said the President’s query to Mr Kyerematen is to enable him understand all the issues related to the alleged sale of access to him at the recently held award ceremony.