Deputy Minister Insults Ablakwa In Public

A Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry Carlos Ahenkorah has heavily raided his colleague Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa with very unprintable words and this happened just outside the floor of Parliament House yesterday.

The incident occurred when Mr. Okudzeto Ablakwa was granting an interview to some journalists over the alleged extortion of money from expatriates who sat beside President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo during the Ghana Expatriates Business Awards few days ago.

The emotionally charged Deputy Minister who is also MP for Tema West rudely interrupted the interview without courtesy and described the North Tongu MP a liar who has been lying since his infancy and through his education.

“Let him know that he is a thief. You have stolen through your life and you have even lied through your education” Ahenkorah roared.

The Minority Chief Whip, Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka had alleged on the floor of Parliament during a debate on the 2018 budget estimate of the Ministry of Trade & Industry that the Ministry charged expatriates between US$25,000 and US$100,000 to offer them seats besides the President of the Republic at the Awards night.

Muntaka stated that those fees charged were not approved by Parliament and moreover the monies collected from the expatriates were not accounted for in the internally generated funds of the Ministry’s accounts.

The Ministry of Trade & Industry, in a statement, has however denied the allegation. The statement said it only facilitated that event and played no role in the determination of prices for seats at the event.

The North Tongu MP insists that the act by the Ministry was an affront to the Fees and Charges Act and a disgrace to the nation. He has urged the Ministry of Trade and Industry to immediately refund the monies extorted to the expatriates.

“This is dubious, immoral and unethical. They are using the Office of the President to extort money from expatriates”, he alleged.

During an interview session between Mr. Okudzeto Ablakwa and journalists, the Deputy Trade Minister popped up in a bid to respond to the claims being made by the North Tongu MP but could not wait and started throwing his tantrums and yelling invectives.

By: Christian Kpesese/ thePublisher