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Presidency denies having knowledge of $100,000 'expatriate extortion'

President Akufo-Addo was not aware of expatriates being charged $100,000 before sitting by him, Eugene Arhin has stated.

The Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin, has strongly refuted claims suggesting President Akufo-Addo had knowledge of a $100,000 fee charged in order to allow expatriates sit by the President.

The country has been thrown into a state of shock following allegations by the Minority that expatriates were charged as high as $100,000 just to sit by the president during last Friday’s Ghana Expatriate Business Awards.

The subject has since generated huge debate among Ghanaians, with certain quarters calling on the Trade Ministry to come clear on the matter.

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However, responding to the issue, Director of Communications at the Presidency Eugene Arhin says President Akufo-Addo is not aware that expatriates were made to pay before sitting beside him.

According to him, the President has moved quickly to demand answers from the Trade Minister, Alan Kyerematen, on the issue.

“We want to be clear that we heard it just like almost everybody from the MP for Asawase on the floor of parliament and also through the media,” Arhin told Joy FM.

“The president had no knowledge whatsoever about the fact that people were being charged $100,000 to sit by him on a table, he had no idea whatsoever.”

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Meanwhile, the ‘$100,000’ saga has led to heated exchanges between the Minority and the Majority in Parliament, with deputy Trade Minister Carlos Ahenkorah and the NDC’s Okudzeto Ablakwah engaging in a war of words during the week.

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