AMERI deal: ACEP accuses gov't of misleading Ghanaians

Contrary to claims by the Power Minister, the African Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) is insisting that government paid 15 million cedis for civil works on the controversial AMERI project.

Deputy Director for ACEP Benjamin Boakye is accusing government of misleading Ghanaians by creating the impression that AMERI is paying for civil works when in fact it is government that is paying for it.

The AMERI project worth $510 million and an extra $83 million variable cost, is expected to provide ten gas turbines to help fight Ghana's crippling power crisis.

A Norwegian newspaper, as well as the African Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) had alleged the AMERI project had been inflated and that the country could have paid $220 million for the same number of turbines.

But the Power Minister Dr Kwabena Donkor denied the claim. He issued a statement saying government paid an extra cost of $290 million (bringing the contract sum to 510 million) because all other auxiliary cost had been taken care of.

"It must also be explained that the quoted price of $220 million in the Norwegian story for outright purchase of similar turbines is exclusive of all other costs such as auxiliaries, balance of plant, civil works, substation, installation of equipment, cost of financing, operation and maintenance etc.

"Under the agreement with AMERI Energy, the cost of all these auxiliary works is being borne by AMERI Energy," the minister said in his statement.

It has emerged that this statement is not entirely accurate. Benjamin Boakye told Joy News the Power Minister Dr Kwabena Donkor has some explanations to give.

He pointed to page 34 of the Petroleum Revenue Report presented to Parliament which states, payment for the interim civil works under 250MW AMERI emergency power project at Aboadze in the Western region has been made. The exact amount quoted is 15,144,563.85 Ghana cedis.

"We indicated earlier that we were to bear the cost of the civil works and the minister denied in the statement that he issued on Monday.

"....It turns out that in the report that the Minister of Finance gave to Parliament when he read the budget on the Petroleum Revenue expenditure, we have already paid in excess of 15m cedis to do the civil works at Aboadze.

"This is so conflicting, that is why we need some clarity. Some explanation needs to come from the minister," he said adding "We are surprised that the whole country will be misled to think the 510 million includes civil works when it doesn't."

It is not clear which company government awarded the 15million cedis contract to, to undertake the civil works at Aboadze.

The New Patriotic Party had alleged the president's brother's Company Engineers & Planners had benefited from the AMERI deal.

But Ibrahim Mahama denied in a statement issued on Tuesday. He, however, stated that the VRA had given his company a contract to undertake civil works. He did not state the contract sum.

Meanwhile, a civil society group Citizens Ghana Movement has sued the Power Minister, the Speaker of Parliament and the Attorney General over the AMERI deal.

The lawyer for the movement Nana Akwasi Awuah wants the government to disclose details of the contract signed between government and the AMERI Group.

He told Joy News that the suit will bring clarity to the matter.