Cash for seat saga: Monies paid were voluntary - Gbeho

Chairman of the Millennium Excellence Foundation, Mr Victor Gbeho, has said the monies received by the organizers were to support the foundation contrary to wide spread speculation that they took money for seats.

Ambassador Gbeho rubbished claims that suggested that the group sold seats to expatriates to sit close to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at a recent awards ceremony held by the Trades Ministry in Accra.

Ambassador Gbeho in his presentation said no seat was sold at the event, noting that some persons who sat at the high table did not make any payment contrary to suggestions made by the Minority in Parliament.

“The Millennium Excellence Foundation did not coerce or levy any persons or institutions to come out with sums of money that will enable them to sit next to the Head of State. The Foundation found voluntary sponsors to support the first class event that was held. It did not sell seats for cash nor was any expatriate firm excluded from the attendance of the event because it did not sponsor. Indeed, it is a fact that most of the VIP seated on the presidential table did not pay sponsorship or the alleged $100,000 before the gala event,” Ambassador Gbeho said.

The President of the Foundation, Ambassador Ashim Morton, further denied claims that some expatriates were made to pay monies in order to receive awards at the event.