Ghana: GII Demands Probe Into Allegations Against Ex-TOR MD

The Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), a local Chapter of Transparency International has asked President of the Republic of Ghana, H.E. Nana Akufo-Addo to probe into allegations of bribery against the immediate past Managing Director of Tema Oil Refinery (TPOR), Asante K. Berko.

A statement issued by GII said despite government’s attention being focused on defeating the Covid-19 pandemic, public officials must still be held accountable.

“…If conscious effort is not made, there is the high tendency and risk of government’s attention being shifted from addressing anti-corruption issues resulting in these allegations being swept under the carpet,” GII wrote.

The demand follows a civil law suit against Mr Asante Berko by the Securities and Exchange Commission of United States of America.

The SEC accused Berko of bribing government officials and MPs in Ghana to gain approval for a power plant project in 2015.

The US SEC claims in its lawsuit filed Monday, April 13 that, Asante Berko, a former executive at Goldman Sachs, facilitated up to $4.5million to help a Turkish company to win a contract for a power plant.

The said contract was approved in 2015, during Ghana’s chronic power crisis.

However, Mr. Berko denied the allegations against him stating that they were false.

“I state categorically that I have not paid any bribes to government officials, Members of Parliament nor any officials of Parliament.

“I have had no contact with Members of Parliament nor officials of Parliament, regarding the approval of this transaction,” he wrote in a statement.

Mr. Berko says he “was indeed an employee of Goldman Sachs up until December 2016…and was part of the Goldman Sachs team that was to arrange the financing for this power transaction on behalf of the Turkish IPP.”

But GII wants the claims investigated as they say the allegations have consequences for “Ghana’s international image.”

Below is GII’s full statement

GII – OPEN LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT – 20-04-2020