The President of the 4th Republic Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo-Addo in signed letter dated 6th August 2018, has relieved the Minister of Energy, Honourable Boakye Agyarko of his portfolio. In his stead, Hon Peter Amewu, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources would act until a substantive appointment is made.
It may be recalled that recent considerations with the AMERI deal have not fallen in his favour. There have been numerous calls for the President to relieve him off his post as he seem not to be on top of his job. The deal he led in his government’s review has been described as ‘making no sense’. The deal is believed would make Ghana worse off. The deal originally brokered by the former NDC government at a cost of $510 million was described as inflated especially by the current NPP government when in opposition. This was a five-year Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOT). Now in government, NPP’s representatives brokered a deal that saw an extension of the ‘inflated’ AMERI deal for 15 years to be managed by other companies. The government’s earlier assertion that it was going save taxpayers $405 was described as misleading by the Africa Center for Energy Policy (ACEP), who cited the cost to Ghanaians as $937.5 million.
This is the same minister whose appointment generated endless controversies with bribing in parliament.
