MPs petition Speaker to investigate $100,000 expatriates levy

The Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Mike Aaron Oquaye has been petitioned by some Members of Parliament to commence investigation into monies collected by the Trade and Industry Ministry from expatriates at an event attended by President Akufo-Addo.

A memorandum from the Minority Chief Whip and MP for Asawase, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka on Wednesday said the petitioners constitute “more than fifteen percent (15%) of all the members of parliament”.

Members of the Minority have accused the Trade and Industry Ministry of levying expatriates who participated in the recently held Ghana Expatriate Business Awards in Accra.

The expatriates were allegedly asked by the ministry to pay from USD25,000 to USD100,000 to sit close to the President, Nana Akufo-Addo.

Muntaka had earlier claimed the fees charged at the Ghana Expatriate Business Awards were not approved by Parliament.

Monies collected were also not accounted for in the ministry’s internally generated funds, he stated.

Government in a statement issued by the Information Ministry cleared the Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, of any wrongdoing in charging the expatriates. Read more

But the Minority in Parliament are bent on pushing the issue further. They are therefore asking the Speaker of the house to summon a meeting, invoking Article 112(3) of the 1992 Constitution and Order 38(1) of Parliament’s Standing Orders.

The motion seconded by the MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa read in part:

“We the undersigned Members of Parliament from the respective constituencies indicated against our names and comprising of more than fifteen percent (15%) of all the members of parliament, HEREBY, request for a meeting of parliament and humbly request of the Speaker of Parliament to summon a meeting of Parliament for the consideration of the following proposed urgent Agenda.”