The Chamber of Petroleum Consumers, Ghana (COPEC Ghana), has called for the dismissal of Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko, over reports that President Nana Akufo-Addo was misled into approving the new Ameri Energy deal.
“We, therefore, call upon the president to urgently fire or sack the Energy Minister and its communicators and prosecute them,” a press release signed by Research, Pricing and Monitoring Officer at COPEC Ghana, Sampson Addae, said on Sunday, 5 August 2018.
In light of the Ameri controversy, COPEC has questioned the president’s decision on some other matters and wondered whether he was misled to take certain actions in the past concerning matters in the energy sector.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo recently approved the new deal pending parliamentary approval.
A statement signed by Secretary to the president, Nana Asante Bediatuo, dated 25 July 2018, stated that: “The President of the Republic of Ghana has granted executive approval for the Novation and Amendment Agreement dated July 20, 2018 between (i) the Government of the Republic of Ghana represented by the Minister of Energy (or his authorised representative), (ii) Volta River Authority (VRA), (iii) Africa and Middle East Resource Investment Group (AMERI ENERGY), (iv) Ameri Energy Power Equipment Trading LLC (AMERI EQUIPMENT), (v) Power Projects Sanayi Insaat Ticanet Limited Sirketi (PPR), and (vi) Mytilineos International Trading Company AG (Mytilineos), for operations and maintenance of the existing 250MW AMERI Thermal Plant at Aboadzi, for a period of 15 years.”
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration recently began taking steps to amend portions of the controversial $510 million deal signed by the John Mahama administration.
The current government believes that there was no value-for-money in the deal signed by the NDC administration, hence the renegotiations.
The renegotiated deal, which has now been cancelled by the president, was expected to be approved by parliament when the House resumes from recess.
Below is the full details of the statement by COPEC Ghana:
Chamber of Petroleum Consumers Ghana
5/08/18
Mr President, sack the Energy Minister.
The defence by the Energy Ministry and its communicators for the Ameri Novation Agreement leaves well-meaning Ghanaians shocked as more fundamental questions spring forth and beg for answers.
Pertinent among this mind-boggling questions begging for answers are as follows:
1. Why will any individual prepare a novation amendment agreement to buy out Ameri Energy and hand it to a third party?
2. What prompted the said individual to prepare such document and present it to the president?
3. Has the said individual ever succeeded in presenting a scandalised document to the president and it went through?
4. How did the said individual arrive at choosing Mytilineos International Trading Company and not any other company?
5. Why has the country defaulted in outstanding payment of 82,660,560.00 of which Ameri is ready to take a legal action against the state?
6. Could it also be said that the president was also misled into believing the lies on contaminated fuel saga when the evidence was clear?
7. Again, could it also be said that the president was also misled into believing the 1.8 million barrels of crude which the country lost about $5.6 million when it was sold?
8. Was the president misled to sack the board of Ghana cylinder manufacturing company (GCMC) against the CEO?
The said individual can continue to mislead the president but cannot mislead COPEC to do their corrupt activities. We will also fight for the consumers by ensuring value for money auditing and expose corrupt officials.
We therefore call upon the president to urgently fire or sack the Energy minister and its communicators and prosecute them.
Signed
Sampson Addae
(Research, pricing and monitoring)
Source: Ghana/otecfmghana.com
