KT Hammond wants probe into 'fraudulent' payment to Tsitaka, others by GNPC

Adansi Asokwa Legislator, KT Hammond, has called for a Presidential enquiry into the payment of what he describes as illegal money to some former employees of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), including Tsatsu Tsikata.

Tsatsu Tsikata is former Chief Executive of the GNPC.

Mr Hammond, a former deputy Energy Minister, first raised the issue on the floor of Parliament during a debate on the 2016 budget.

According to him, information about the payment of the huge sums of money is contained in a letter written to Parliament by an unnamed man.

“Out of the money that has been allocated to GNPC, about one million cedis has been given to Mr Tsikata for free after having stayed away from anything to do with GNPC, government for about fifteen years,” KT said told the House.

According to him, a former GNPC Managing Director, Nana Boakye Asafo-Adjei, has also been given close to GHC1 million as compensation.

KT Hammond further claimed that former Head of Public Relations at the national petroleum company, Esther Cobbah, was also paid about GHC600,000.

Mr. Hammond claims the current GNPC is just doling out cash to a tall list of former GNPC employees as compensation.

Mr. KT Hammond described the move as fraudulent and has called for investigation into it.

He asked the government to dissolve with immediate effect the GNPC Board if it is responsible for the payments.

“It is a criminal activity and I am calling on the President, what does he know about it, when did he get to know about,”? he added.