Claims that Ameri Energy is getting in excess of US$150 million as commission on the Ameri power deal and other findings in a committee’s report could be speculative, Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko tells TV3.
The report which indicated that there is something fishy about the Ameri deal advised the government of Ghana to call for its renegotiations or possibly abrogate the contract if Ameri Energy is not cooperating.
The content of the committee’s report led by Philip Addison, counsel for President Akufo-Addo in the 2012 election dispute, has widely been reported by the media. The 18-page document though has ‘Final Report’ as its header, it was not signed by any of the 17-member.
The Energy Minister capitalized on the fact that the leaked report was not signed as a caveat the media must avert their minds on.
“If it is not a signed document, it could be speculative, it could also be true,” Mr. Agyarko cautioned.
He told TV3 he would “suspend judgment” on it until he sees a copy of the report published in the media.
The minister however confirmed that the government is “reviewing all power procurement arrangements” initiated by the erstwhile National Democratic Congress government under John Dramani Mahama as president.
Meanwhile, a former Deputy Minister of Power John Jinapor has expressed surprise about the report and the entire process.
He told TV3 he was not aware of any committee constituted to investigate the Ameri deal let alone participate in any of its sittings.
He said he contacted the then Power Minister under whose watch the deal was signed but he also denied knowledge of the committee and its report.
He nonetheless maintained that the deal was approved by parliament and it was by “consensus”, adding that it also “went through all the necessary process”.
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Read also: Ameri deal likely to be abrogated if renegotiation fails
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By Isaac Essel |3news.com|Ghana