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General News on Friday, August 2nd, 2019
Source: dailyguidenetwork.com
2019-08-02
The two main political parties are at the head of loggers who should be blamed for the fiasco
The suspension of the Power Distribution Services (PDS) electricity concession agreement by the government sparked a fierce battle between the ruling party, the new Patriotic Party (NPP), and the National Democratic Congress ( NDC) about responsibilities.
Minister of Information Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah held a press conference yesterday in Accra, attended by Energy Minister John Peter Amewu, to clear things up. He added that the government would complete a full month 's investigation into what he called "violations detected" by the PDS.
He said the investigation team included insurance experts, officials from the Ministries of Energy and Finance, officials from the Ghana Electricity Corporation (ECG). ) and the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA). The investigation would determine the nature of the violations and advise on the next steps suggested.
"D here Tuesday, the team is expected to DOHA-Qatar as part of the investigation. All interested parties are cooperating with the investigation at this stage, "he said.
Second team
The minister said a second team had been tasked to continue its engagement with the US government through its agency, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, stating that "this commitment is about possible next steps after the event." 39; survey and ways to share information as part of the investigation ".
"We reiterate that this violation was discovered by the Ghanaian authorities with due diligence, through the ECG and with the support of the state agencies," he said.
"For the avoidance of doubt, the constitution of the guarantee of payment has always been a precondition and has never been replaced by a later condition, speculated by certain persons. The initial due diligence conducted by the transaction consultants did not identify any anomalies. The second-level controls (this time led by the Ghanaian side) initially allowed Al-Koot to confirm the guarantee, "he added.
Third level
"It's a third-level check done by the Ghanaian party that has detected anomalies within Al-Koot, which triggered a fourth-level check."
"The fourth-level check was to send a first team from Ghana's mission to Qatar to engage with Al-Koot officials for verification. This fourth level again proved the anomalies and suggested unwelcome actions that are now the subject of a thorough investigation, "he added.
Minority attack
The NDC minority, whose entire deal was launched at the time, did everything possible and even went so far as to qualify the transaction as "create, loot and share", which was synonymous with regime on corruption.
Yesterday in Parliament, they accused the NPP administration of "complicity" in the suspension of the ECG takeover by PDS five months ago.
According to the minority, the Akufo-Addo government acted in such a way as to "create, loot and share".
John Abdulai Jinapor, a member of the Parliament's Mining and Energy Committee and NDC MP for Yapei / Kawsugu, said it was imperative that the government take 150 days to be able to determine the authenticity or not the "guarantee" when the practice is the norm dictates barely 48 hours to conduct any such due diligence.
"Our audits revealed that, until now, PDS has not injected the necessary financial capital, as stipulated in the concession agreement. In fact, at the time of filing, some of the consortium's (TG Energy Solutions) partners have neither offices nor physical locations per document submitted to the Mines and Energy Committee by the Millennium Development Authority. " -he declares.
"How can the Akufo-Addo government be so cruel to Ghanaians and ECG, a strategic public institution of 6,000 people and GHC 18 billion in badets, mortgaging the company with its friends, family and friends? his friends, "he dismissed.
The minority said that a concession at this time would certainly not serve the interests of the nation, adding that it could easily send the nation into another era of dumsor.
The NDC said it would resist any attempt to reintroduce other so-called private sector players or to establish a SPV in the system.
Initial facts
It was during the former Mahama administration that the transaction advisers for private sector ECG participation were appointed, and this after the end of the bidding process and the PDS submission and all others.
The IFC were the transaction consultants with Hutton Williams as lawyers for the transaction, all chosen under Mahama. All of these people have subscribed to the insurance coverage provided by PDS, paving the way for the conclusion of the contract.
Some legal experts cynically badert that PDS and its local collaborators (TG Power Solutions Limited, Santa Power Limited and GTS Power Limited) have "fooled" the Ministry of Energy, the Cabinet and the Parliament that it was ready, able and willing to invest capital expenditures of approximately $ 580 million over the first five years of the 20-year concession period.
MiDA factor
Ben Boakye, executive director of the African Center for Energy Policy (ACEP), said: "ACEP is not surprised by the evolution of the situation, but deeply concerned by the degree of negligence that has led to the current situation. Indeed, the best conclusion anyone can draw is that it represents the summary of the MiDA posture in the events that led to the cancellation of the agreement. "
He said: "While CAPE congratulates the government for promptly mobilizing the public interest, the following actions are needed – there is a need to immediately ban MiDA leaders to prevent the falsification of necessary to support the case of the state. . "
"The government must stop with immediate effect IFC's advance consumption on the transaction; Indeed, the IFC has proved incapable of defending the interests of its clients, in this case the Government of Ghana and the MiDA. The government should immediately check the antecedents of beneficiaries and local partners in the PDS concession, "he added.
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