AMERI power deal best ‘ever’ – Bawa

A former Energy Consultant for the Energy Ministry and Member of Parliament for Bongo, Edward Bawa, has dismissed a report by the Energy Ministry suggesting that the AMERI power deal was bloated.

According to him, the findings contained in the report are inconceivable, arguing that extreme due diligence was conducted before government of Ghana signed the $510 million power contract with AMERI.

A report by the 17-member committee put together by the Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko and chaired by lawyer for president Akufo-Addo in the famous 2012 election petition Philip Addison uncovered technical, financial and legal lapses in the $510 million power contract signed between Ameri Energy and the Ghana government.

As a result, the committee recommended to government to call back owners of the Dubai-based company for renegotiation, urging that if AMERI refused to return for re-negotiation the government should abrogate the contract.

But speaking Tuesday on Morning Starr, Mr. Bawa said the conclusion of the Philip Addison committee is predictable as the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the run up to the 2016 elections expressed clearly their dissatisfaction with the contract.

“It was very clear that the NPP was bent on ensuring that they find fault with the AMERI deal…So I’m not surprised that they have to constitute a committee chaired by a well-known NPP person Philip Addison,” he told Morning Starr host Francis Abban.

He said the work of the committee lacked credibility as it shied away from contacting those involved in the AMERI negotiation to answer to their stewardship.

He said in terms of the “composite generating tariff AMERI is a better deal,” adding that on “every facet of it, it is a better deal and all the things suggest that.”