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Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Joseph Ade Coker has said there is more to the revised AMERI deal which has led to the removal of the Energy Minister, Mr. Boakye Agyarko than meets the eye.

According to him, all those involved in the decision taking must also face the full rigour of the law even though the sacrificial lamb has been thrown out.

“One person cannot take such a strong decision.

“Indeed the Energy Minister alone cannot bear this canker and shame alone when there is a lot to it. More heads must roll for there are active players involved who must as well face the music,” he said.

Ade Coker in an interview on UTV’s ‘Adekye Nsroma’ political segment noted that “Senior Staff of Volta River Authority [VRA] and the Minority in Parliament must be commended for the abrogation of the new AMERI deal, because their vigilance and agitations led to it being recalled”.

He further advised Mr. Boakye Agyarko that he shouldn’t be quiet and made to carry the shame alone as his reputation built for years cannot be ruined in just a second.

Energy Minister Sacked

A statement issued and signed by the Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin, said the President by a "letter dated 6th August, 2018, relieved the Minister for Energy, Mr. Boakye Agyarko, of his position, with immediate effect." 

According to the statement, President Akufo-Addo "asked Mr. Boakye Agyarko to hand over his office to the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Mr. John Peter Amewu, who will act temporarily as Minister for Energy, until a substantive appointment is made". 

Revised Ameri Deal

The Akufo-Addo government took the revised deal to Parliament last week under a certificate of urgency, but the House deferred its deliberation on the contract due to concerns over the cost and value for money.

Under the new proposal, the Greece-based Mytilineos International Trading Company was to assume management responsibility for the AMERI emergency power-generation arrangement negotiated by the past NDC government, in effect extending the original outsourcing agreement by ten more years.

In the supposed renegotiated agreement, government is expected to extend the $510 million deal from its original five years to 15 years with the government committing over $700 million to it.

Management of Ameri Energy has since stated that it had no discussions with government with regards to the power plants and the new deal with Mytilineos.