Cash for seat: Minority's allegations were empty - Odike

Founder and leader of United Progressive Party (UPP), Mr. Akwasi Addai Odike has waded into the controversial cash for seat debate admonishing Minority National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Parliament to offer better solutions to the country’s problems rather than dwell on trivialities.

“The NDC should give us a better alternative to help the growth of the country”, the politician cum businessman advised the leadership of NDC in Parliament.

According to the 2016 UPP flagbearer, it was obvious from inception that Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr. Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanten was going to be exonerated of all allegations that the Ministry extorted $100,000 from expatriates to allow them to sit close to the President during the Ghana Expatriates Business Awards in December 2017.

“I knew those allegations were empty from start because nobody [expatriates] complained they were compelled to pay such amount”, Mr. Akwasi Addai Odike spoke on Kumasi-based Nhyira FM morning show hosted by Aduanaba Kofi Asante Ennin.

The outcome of the 5-member committee report has been referred to the Privileges Committee of Parliament tasked investigate the source of the allegations that exonerated the Trades and Industry Ministry and organizers of the awards of any wrongdoing.

Addressing the media, Minority Member on the committee, Dr. Dominic Ayine described the Majority’s decision to ignore the Minority’s perspective on the probe as undemocratic.

“We would have loved the situation where the content of the report would have reflected in the official records of Parliament for posterity.

What they have done today is to endanger the fledgling democracy that we have been experimenting with since 1992 and it saddens me that the views which have just been outlined were not taken into account” the NDC lawmaker stated.