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A technical committee has been set up by the Minister of Energy and Petroleum, Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, to investigate the alleged monthly payment of $63,000 for office space by the National Petroleum Authority (NPA). The five-member committee, which was inaugurated last Tuesday, has one week to complete its work. Mr Richard Nii Lante Blankson, the Deputy Executive Secretary of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB), is the Chairman of the committee, with Alhaji Yahaya Yakubu of the Ministry of Works and Housing and Mrs Anita Kokko, Senior Legal Officer of the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum (MoEP), as members. Other members are Mr Asare Gyamera, Estate Manager of MoEP, and Mr William Anthony, Assistant Engineer of MoEP, who is the secretary to the committee. Mr Buah told the Daily Graphic in Accra that the committee had been set up to look into all issues relating to the renting of the office space, and come up with recommendations. Terms of reference According to Mr Buah, the committee will investigate the circumstances that led to the renting of new offices for the NPA at East Legon in Accra. It will also determine the appropriateness of the cost, taking into consideration floor space, price per square metre, location, among other issues. The minister disclosed that the committee was also expected to investigate whether or not there was value for money in arriving at the cost of the office premises. One other issue it had been tasked to investigate was whether or not the necessary consent and approvals were obtained by the NPA before renting the office premises, he added. He said the committee had been permitted to investigate any other matter it considered relevant to the issue.