Revelations made by Former Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko about the botched AMERI novation deal which eventually led to his appointment being truncated in 2018 have surfaced in a recent interview with Asanteman FM in Kumasi.
This jaw-dropping revelation is a further affirmation of the long-held view of the NDC Minority in Parliament that the dubious and needless deal that was championed by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia NPP government soon after coming into office was nothing but a fraudulent scheme to shortchange the Ghanaian people.
In the said interview, Mr. Boakye Agyarko lifted the veil over a tussle between himself and the nephew of President Akufo-Addo, Gabby Otchere Darko over who had the legitimate right and authority to champion the shady AMERI renegotiated deal that was going to witness elements in the Akufo-Addo government cream millions of dollars off the poor Ghanaian taxpayer.
While the former Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko preferred to renegotiate with METKA, Gabby Otchere who essentially was acting for and on behalf of the family and friends cabal in government, chose to negotiate with AMERI.
The outcome of this corrupt renegotiated deal effectively sought to extend the tenure of the original AMERI deal from 5 years to 10 years at a cost of $1 billion, meaning that the duration of the original contract which would have seen the plant revert fully to Ghana after 5 years, was now being extended to 10 years at a padded additional cost of $1 billion to the Ghanaian taxpayer.
Mr. Agyarko all but confirmed in the said interview that this crude arrangement was led by President Akufo-Addo’s nephew with the expressed approval of the President who was not pleased that the Energy Minister at the time failed to cooperate fully with the scheme to fleece the Ghanaian people. The disagreement between the Minister and the President’s nephew which was exposed by the vigilance of the NDC Minority in Parliament subsequently led to President Akufo-Addo claiming he had been misled to grant Executive approval to the AMERI renegotiated deal, for which reason the Minister was eventually dismissed.
The story of how the Ameri plant reverted to Ghana after 5 years would have been different but for the vigilance of the NDC minority in parliament.
Time indeed has exposed the wicked grand heist that was being perpetrated by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government. Once again, the truth which is always hidden in, the womb of time, has established that this Akufo-Addo/Bawumia NPP government is incurably corrupt.
By Wisdom W. Adzedakor
NDC Depuy Communications Officer – North Tongu Constituency