Cash-for-seat: Alan names persons who sat close to President

The Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kyeremanteng, on Friday, 12 January 2018, listed the names of persons who sat close to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo during the Ghana Expatriates Business Awards.

Mr Kyeremanteng named the persons when he appeared before the five member ad-hoc committee constituted by the Speaker of Parliament to investigate if the Ministry did any wrong for allegedly charging $100,000 from expatriate businessmen who sat close to the president.

Mr Kyeremanteng said those who sat by the President were 17 in number but only nine persons paid monies.

Below is the full list of persons on the President’s table at the awards night:

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
Trade Minister, Alan Kyeremateng
Carlos Ahenkorah, Deputy Trade Minister
Mr Ashim Morton, President of Millennium Excellence Foundation
Mr. Amarh Hari, Chief Executive of IPMC
Mr. Ashok Mohinani, Chairman of Mohinani Group
Mr Salem Kalmoni, Chief Executive of Japan Motors
Jerry John Rawlings and his wife
Mr. Saied Fakhry, Executive Chairman of Interplast Ghana Limited
Ms. Roshi Motman, Chief Executive of AirtelTigo Ghana
Mr. Jim O’Brien, Founder and Executive Chairman of Zenith Bank Group
Mr Bhagwan Khubchandani, Chief Executive of Melcom Ghana.
Mr. David Haper, Chief Executive of Geodrill Ghana
Mr. Mike Tacwani, Chief Executive of B Pipe Plus Ghana
Yofi Grant, CEO of GIPC
Yeo Ziobeieton, Chief Executive of Unilever Ghana
Ishmael Ashitey, Greater Accra Regional Minister

Mr Kyeremateng told the committee that: “17 persons, including His Excellency the President” in total, were at the presidential high table on the night of the programme.

“Mr Chairman, for the avoidance of doubt, none of the persons mentioned made a contribution of $100,000 prior to the event,” he stated.

He further explained that: “There were representatives of organisations who did not make any monetary contributions before and after the event. There were three of them; these were individuals who were seated at the high table but made no contributions either before or after the event”.

Additionally, Mr Kyeremateng told the committee that: “The number of persons on the list under reference who made contributions prior to the event were seven” adding that two individuals also made contributions after the event.

“I know that there was one individual who was seated on the high table who has come out publicly to confirm that he paid GHS 13,000,” he further clarified.