I never said Pwalugu Dam contractor was not paid — Energy Minister

The Minister for Energy and Green Transition, Dr. John Abdulai Jinapor, has clarified claims circulating on social media regarding a comment he allegedly made about the Pwalugu Dam.

Some news cards quote the minister as saying that the project’s contractor has not been paid.

This, according to many, contradicts his earlier claim that the contractor was paid huge sums of money without any work done.

However, in a statement issued on Tuesday, March 24, the minister described the reports as false and misleading, emphasizing that they misrepresent his actual remarks before Parliament’s Government Assurances Committee.

“My attention has been drawn to a publication circulating on some social media handles… which has been falsely attributed to remarks I allegedly made during my appearance before the Government Assurances Committee of Parliament.

“I wish to state, in the clearest possible terms, that this publication is entirely false, misleading, and a gross misrepresentation of the facts,” Dr. Jinapor said.

The minister explained that during the committee proceedings, which were broadcast live, he had clearly stated that the contractor had been paid but absconded with the funds without executing any corresponding work.

He also noted that the matter is under investigation and has been formally referred to the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice for advice and possible prosecution.

He urged the public and media practitioners to verify information from credible sources before dissemination.

“The attempt to distort these facts is not only unfortunate but also undermines public discourse and confidence in the management of critical national issues,” the minister said.

The Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam is a stalled $1billion infrastructural project in Northern Ghana designed for irrigation, a 60MW hydropower plant, a 50MW solar component and portable water to surrounding communities.

Initiated in 2019, the project was intended to establish Ghana's largest irrigation scheme of about 25,000 hectares, but is currently delayed, with reports indicating the contractor has vacated the site.