Cash-for-seat: Clearing of Alan was to vindicate Akufo-Addo -Yamin

The former Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Joseph Yamin has stated that the cash-for-seat committee exonerated the Trade Minister Alan Kyerematen and others just to justify the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s statement.

Mr. Yamin said the committee was compromised after the President cleared the Minister whiles the sitting was in session.

The President during an encounter with journalists described the committee’s probe into the alleged corruption as ‘flimsiest and irresponsible’.

According to the Ashanti Regional Chairman hopeful of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) there was no way the committee would have written a damning report to disgrace the President.

A five-member ad hoc committee was set up by Parliament to investigate allegations of monies extorted from some business moguls who sat close to the President’s table during Ghana Expatriates Business awards held last year.

The committee in its report said the ministry did no wrong by exploiting the presidency through the organisers Millennium Excellence Foundation (MEF).

The committee also said it relied on the chairman of MEF Ambassador Victor Gbeho who said the President as indicated in the invitation letter was MEF President Ashim Morton and not the President of Ghana Akufo-Addo.

But speaking on Abusua Nkommo hosted by Nana Ama Annor, Mr Yamin stated that the committee is hiding the truth from the public by clearing the ministry and the organisers to make the President happy.

He showered praises on the minority in Parliament for boycotting the debate on the committee’s report.

‘The Minority should have boycotted the committee’s sittings when the President cleared the Trade Minister Alan Kyerematen whiles the process was on going. President Akufo-Addo preempted the committee’s report by making that comment.

There was no way the committee of five eminent members of Parliament, where three were NPP and two NDC members will write a report and disgrace the President. The report was just to cover up President Nana Addo’s statement, they don’t want to embarrass him. They have deceived Ghanaians by concealing the truth from the public,’he said.

The former Deputy National Coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) charged the majority in Parliament to also release their report on the investigations in order for Ghanaians to compare the two reports and make their own judgement.

He stated that there were contradictions in the statements by Mr Morton and the ministry when they appeared before the committee.