carlos – Adomonline.com

Carlos Ahenkorah, GUTA on collision course

Dorcas Abedu-Kennedy — Fri, 27 Jul 2018 18:14:43 +0000

Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Carlos Ahenkorah, has asked members of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) to tread cautiously in attempting to remove foreigners from Ghana’s retail markets.

The ministry, in a release signed by its acting Chief Director, Ebenezer Padi Adjirackor, and issued in Accra Wednesday, said it had suspended the exercise of removing foreigners from Ghana’s markets in order “to intensify sensitization and education in the domestic retail trade sector”.

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GUTA members were angered by the failure of the minister to meet them in strategising towards the removal of so-called foreigners engaging in retail from Ghana’s markets.

But the minister’s statement explained that the suspension of the ban is to help them intensify sensitization and education in the domestic retail trade sector.

“The ministry, however, demands the cooperation of the trading community and the general public in this regard,” the statement said.

The ministry had given notice to all foreign retailers to vacate the country’s retail markets by 27 July 2018 or face sanctions.

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The suspension which did not go down well with GUTA has caused them to ask members not to pay attention to the Minister because he had taken them for granted for too long.

But Mr Ahenkorah, speaking on Asempa FM’s Eko Sii Sen Friday, said the Ministry of Trade and Industry has suspended the exercise because of inadequate sensitization.

“I can’t sit in the ministry and just take decisions that is why there is the need for us to use more diplomatic ways to make things work for all of us. I want them [GUTA] to know that we have good intentions for them,” he said.

Carlos Ahenkorah apologises to Okudzeto

Dorcas Abedu-Kennedy — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 13:01:47 +0000

Embattled Deputy Trades Minister, Carlos Ahenkorah says he is sorry for his verbal assault on opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentarian, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.
“I am sorry, it will not happen again”, the Deputy Minister said in an interview with Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM, Thursday
The Deputy Minister, who has been accused of using the Presidency for profiteering, interrupted Okudzeto’s interview with the media after the NDC MP demanded a probe into the matter.
A fuming Carlos Ahenkorah who is also Tema West MP called the North Tongu MP a liar, a thief who has been stealing throughout his life.
His emotional outburst has been condemned and his actions in the profiteering saga have since come under greater scrutiny.
Carlos Ahenkorah admitted his actions are disappointing and unbecoming of an MP who should serve as a role model in public discourse.
“I don’t think I will be led to that point anymore,” he begged. The Deputy Minister also pleaded with Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa to clean up his politics.
“Let’s do straight politics,” he said.
Listen to Carlos

Kofi Jumah defends Trade Ministry over $100k-to-sit-close-to-Akufo-Addo

Dorcas Abedu-Kennedy — Wed, 20 Dec 2017 15:34:08 +0000

Former Member of Parliament for Asokwa constituency, Maxwell Kofi Jumah, has mounted a spirited defense for the Trade Ministry for charging 100,000 dollars to share the same table with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at an awards ceremony.
It has emerged the Trade ministry collected from expatriates between $15,000 to $100,000 to sit close to the president, at a dinner event of Ghana Expatriate Business Awards, to recognize the contributions of expatriates to Ghana’s economy.
Mr Saeed Fakhri, CEO of Dream Reality and Inesfly also paid $100,000 to sit at the table with the President at the December 8 event held at the Movenpick Hotel in Accra.
North Tongu NDC MP Okudzeto Ablakwa has called this “plain corruption”.
“You don’t use the office of the president to engage in profiteering…corruption has never been this clear”, he said condemning the Trade ministry for “desecrating” the presidency.
Not to be outdone, Tema West NPP MP charged that “if we talk about corruption, then we should point directly at Okudzeto Ablakwa”.
Carlos Ahenkorah who was fuming with anger, described Okudzeto Ablakwa as a ‘thief’ and a ‘liar’; adding he has no moral right to accuse anyone of corruption.
Mr. Ahenkorah had to be restrained by his colleagues while Mr. Ablakwa was whisked away by the Member of Parliament for Tamale North Alhassan Suhuyini to avoid a full blown melee.
The deputy Trade Minister explained that, the event was organized in collaboration with Millennium Excellence Foundation led by leading NDC figure, Victor Gbeho.
The Minority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for Asawase Muntaka Mubarak last week exposed the scandal during parliamentary proceedings.
Though the Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong has condemned the act, Mr Jumah said he does not see anything wrong with the amount paid by the expatriates.
According to him, the fees charged at the Ghana Expatriate Business Awards though were not approved by Parliament, the monies accrued would be accounted for in the Ministry’s account.
“Seriously, I don’t see anything wrong with the amount paid by the expatriates because I believe that the monies when would be put to good use and would be accounted for.
“I am even shocked at the conduct of Kennedy Agyapong and I think he is just ignorant in making such statements because I know Ken is aware of all these things and how normal these things are and so he should just keep quiet” he said on Okay FM.
Source: Adomonline.com/Dorcas Abedu-Kennedy