Minority caucus calls out Atta Akyea over ‘lies’ on Mahama’s energy agreements

The Minority Caucus of Parliament has called out the Member of Parliament (MP) for Abuakwa South, Samuel Atta Akyea, over allegations he made about energy agreements signed during the government of ex-President John Dramani Mahama.

According to the minority, Atta Akyea’s claim that power agreements signed by the Mahama administration cost Ghana over $320 million for unused power in 2018, is false.

In a statement issued by the ranking member of the Mines and Energy Committee of Parliament and the Member of Parliament for Yapei Kusawgu, John Jinapor, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs also refuted Atta Akyea’s claim that over 40 take-or-pay power agreements were signed under the former president.

“The reported claim that the former administration entered into 43 take-or-pay Power Purchase Agreements resulting in the current government being obligated to pay over 320 million dollars in 2018 for unused power charges is not only false but a clear lack of appreciation of Ghana’s power sector.

“The records from the Energy Commission’s 2018 Energy Statistics are available for verification. From these records, a total of 13 thermal plants operated in 2018, with only three (3) signed under President Mahama.

“How the New Patriotic Party and its communicators are able to concoct and embellish such unfounded payments for 43 take-or-pay power agreements in 2018 alone is shocking and mind-boggling,” parts of the statement read.

What Atta Akyea said:

The Chairman of the Mines and Energy Committee of Parliament is reported to have criticised former President Mahama over power agreements the country entered into under his watch.

Addressing the media on Tuesday, June 15, 2023, in Accra, Atta Akyea suggested that the power supply agreement signed under the former president did more harm than good, citinewsroom.com reports.

“In 2018, excess generation capacities contracted under the take or pay cost 320 million in capacity charges and are estimated to increase to 620 million annually with the addition of new plants in 2019.

“These unused supply charges are one of the significant sources of financial strain on the sector. Cumulative net sector debt was 2.7 billion in 2018 with 30 per cent payable to the private sector, this sum is equivalent to 33 per cent of the 2018 government’s tax revenue highlighting the scale of the financial burden,” he is quoted to have told the press.

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