Sack Deputy Energy Ministers • IES Tells Nana Addo

The Institute for Energy Security (IES) has called on President Akufo-Addo to sack all the three Deputy Ministers of Energy, following the sacking of the substantive minister Boakye Agyarko over the re-negotiated Ameri deal.

They are Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam Anta (in charge of Petroleum), William Owuraku Aidoo (in charge of Power), and Joseph Cudjoe (in charge of Finance and Infrastructure).

The Institute in a statement released said “We will be very shocked if any of these persons is given the opportunity to become the substantive Minister of Energy. We also ask that the Committee should not be left off the hook”.

Boakye Agyarko was sacked Monday over the deal after it allegedly emerged that President Akufo-Addo was misled into approving the agreement.

The novation and amendment agreement was seeking to buy out the deal Ameri Energy had with the government of Ghana under President John Mahama and handed over to a third party Mytilineos for 15 years.

Ghana would have ended up paying over Ghc1 billion under the new arrangement.

The joint committee on Finance and Energy of Parliament rejected the new deal because it had no signatures from the Attorney General and Finance minister.

Although the IES is commending Akufo-Addo for taking action, it said the minister did not act in isolation and must go down with all those complicit in the deal, especially his deputies.

“It is common knowledge that the Energy Minister, Mr. Boakye Agyarko doesn’t work alone. The Honorable Minister, in addition to his three deputies, worked with a 7-member committee comprised of representatives from the PURC, Ministry of Finance, VRA and the Attorney-General who recommended the Novation Amendment Agreement to the Minister who in turn forwarded same to the President.