The Chairman of the Millennium Excellence Foundation, organizers of the controversial Ghana Expatriates Awards, has said no expatriate business was made to pay to sit close to the President.

Former Ambassador, James Victor Gbeho told a parliamentary ad-hoc committee probing the cash for seat scandal Monday, that the monies received by the Foundation were from voluntary sponsors.

“The Millennium Excellence Foundation did not coerce or levy any persons or institutions to come out with sums of money that will enable them to sit next to the Head of State.

“The Foundation found voluntary sponsors to support the first class event that was held,” he said.

The prominent lawyer and diplomat said, the Foundation did not sell seats for cash nor was any expatriate firm excluded from the attendance of the event because it did not sponsor.

“Indeed, it is a fact that most of the VIPs seated on the presidential table did not pay sponsorship or the alleged $100,000 before the gala event,” Ambassador Gbeho said.

The Millennium Excellence Foundation has been accused of selling seats at the Ghana Expatriate Business Awards (GEBA) for between $25,000 and $100,000.

Some attendees were reportedly charged with the promise of getting them to sit close to President Akufo-Addo, a special guest at the event held on December 8, 2017.

But Chairman of the Foundation told parliament’s ad-hoc committee investigating the matter, they did no wrong.

Mr Gbeho was emphatic seats were not sold at the event, stressing some persons who sat at the high table already know the President and did not need to pay to sit next to him.

This is contrary to suggestions by the Minority Chief Whip, Muntaka Mubarak, who drew parliament’s attention to the issue.

Mr Gbeho said efforts by detractors of the foundation's CEO, Ashim Morton to paint him as a charlatan will fail. He told the committee Mr Morton is a good man.