The former President and flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Mahama, has called for full disclosure of the government’s role in the controversial Aker Energy deal.
He asked the citizenry to query the president on why the government would renegotiate a contract to their disadvantage when there was low risk to the government and insisted: “There was low risk in the Aker energy situation, why will the government reduce its stake by 48 per cent to 18 per cent?”
Speaking at a meeting with the Catholic Bishops Conference in Accra, the meeting, part of the broad consultations initiated by the NDC, to interact with stakeholders and key organisations ahead of the 2020 general election, former President Mahama alleged that “some of the key persons involved in the renegotiated Aker oil energy deal are linked to the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta”.
It discussed a number of issues including growing insecurity across the country, attacks on press freedom, energy sector, abandoning of government projects, education including implementation of the Free Senior High School, corruption, abuse of government procurement processes and the banking sector crisis.
Some civil society organisations like a policy think tank, IMANI Africa have already raised concerns with the deal, claimed the country could be shortchanged by 30 billion dollars if contractual agreements are not reviewed, claim has been denied.
The former President alleged that “just like many other deals has party cronies directly participating, included some key persons involved in renegotiated Aker energy deal,” asked “the Conference and other faith-based organisations, as the conscience of the nation, to speak out against the negative happenings in the country”.
Dr Kofi Sarpong, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) and the GNPC are currently at the centre of a lawsuit for handing 10 per cent stake the country had in the Deepwater Tano Cape Three Points (DWT/CTP) oil block to Aker Energy, a Norwegian oil company.
In 2015, Explorco Ghana Limited, a subsidiary company of GNPC, acquired 10 per cent interest in the DWC/CTP oil block at a time when HESS Corporation, then operator of DWT/CTP oil block, was offloading part of its stake in the block while Parliament reportedly approved budgetary allocation of $47 million for acquisition. -citinewsroom.com/myjoyonline.com
