A former Energy Minister under the first administration of President Akufo-Addo, Mr Boakye Agyarko says he is in favour of a thorough investigation into the circumstances that resulted in the award of $170 million judgement debt payment against Ghana.
A London-based United Nations Commission on International Trade Law tribunal has ordered the Government of Ghana to pay a contractually defined early termination payment of more than US$134.3 million plus interest and costs.
This follows the termination of a contract between the Government of Ghana and Ghana Power Generation Company (GPGC), an independent power producer.
In July 2015, Dr Kwabena Donkor, then Minister for Power under the President John Dramani Mahama-administration, signed an Emergency Power Purchase agreement with GPGC for the procurement of 107MW of electricity.
But the current administration, upon recommendations of Power Purchase Agreement Review Committee, terminated the contract because the company failed to meet conditions of the agreement.
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Since GPCG secured a judgement debt against Ghana, the issue has generated public discussion with Ghana’s Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame giving indications of formally requesting the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service to probe the issue.
Speaking on Accra-based Net 2 TV, Mr Boakye Agyarko, who was the then Minister for Energy, and communicated Cabinet’s decision of termination to GPGC, was asked whether he supports calls for investigations into the causes of the payment of this debt.
“By all means, so far as there is a crime, why not? I am for investigations all through and through. People must be held accountable if found culpable. Lessons must be learnt,” he said.