The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has expressed disappointment in President Akufo-Addo for using the Minister of Energy as a ‘scapegoat’.
Speaking to Kwami Sefa Kayi, host of Peace FM's morning show ‘Kokrokoo’ Tuesday, Fred Agbenyo, Deputy Communications Officer of the NDC said the President cannot be absolved from taking some of the blame.
"He’s been sacrificed; he’s just been used as a scapegoat…nobody can say the President did not know about this. He gave an Executive approval. Is he telling us that the document shown to him was different from the one presented in Parliament? Is he telling us that he didn’t consult anyone before giving the Executive order? I am extremely disappointed in the President," the NDC activist stated.
According to Fred Agbenyo, since the dismissed Energy Minister “was given the chance to resign but he didn’t; it shows he is confident that he has done nothing wrong” adding, “I don’t think the problem is with Mr Agyarko; it is the President. I wish the headlines will be Ghana’s President has been impeached instead of Agyarko sacked because the President was definitely aware of the deal.”
Background
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".
Even though reasons for his dismissal have not been stated, reports indicate that he was relieved of his post for ‘misleading’ the President in the new 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.
However, the deal has been withdrawn following claims that the President was ‘misled’ into giving an executive order.
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