Ameri, Agyapa, PDS, West Blue: 5 major scandals Gabby has been associated with

No government can insulate itself from scandals, but when they happen, the way it is handled and persons involved determine the level of damage that a government suffers.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) under president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has had its fair share of scandals with the major ones featuring Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, cousin of president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

In the most recent “scandal” being reported by a Member of Parliament of the opposition National Democratic Congress, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Gabby through his law firm was seeking to exact GH¢187 million from the government for a contract the NPP previously opposed and the current government varied upon coming into office.

Gabby, who recently stated that he was not a politician despite being strongly affiliated with the NPP, has been branded the Prime Minister of Ghana to buttress the power he wields.

In his recent publication, the Kitchen Scandal, Ablakwa referred to him as the grand master of the government.

Below are some scandals in which Gabby or his interests have been cited:

The Agyapa Royalties deal

In 2020, the government of Ghana proposed a deal which was meant to raise money by floating shares in a company called Agyapa Royalties Limited on the London Stock Exchange.

This deal was met with wide criticism from civil society groups and the opposition, who claimed that it was a secretive and corrupt deal that would allow politicians to enrich themselves at the expense of the country.

Later that year, it was confirmed by veteran journalist Kweku Baako that Gabby’s firm had been transaction advisors to the government in the failed deal.

He clarified that a UK-based law firm was the principal advisors on the deal and Africa Legal Associates worked for the firm.

“It is not true that Gabby’s firm got US$2 million from the deal. It is not true that his firm is a beneficiary of US$2 million. It’s not even up to US$105,000. It is the main transaction advisor that paid Gabby. It is about US$103,000. It is not US$2 million”.

One major issue that has emanated from the brouhaha surrounding the deal is the role of Osafo-Maafo’s son and Gabby Otchere-Darko.

PDS scandal

In 2019, government was forced to terminate a concessionaire agreement with Power Distribution Service Ghana Limited (PDS) with the reason that there were challenges with the financial guarantee provided for the deal.

The decision according to the government of Ghana followed the detection of fundamental and material breaches of PDS’s obligation in the provision of payment securities (demand guarantees) for the transaction which has been discovered upon further due diligence.

Some critics have chastised the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia led administration for not acting in the best interest of Ghana in the negotiation and signing of the power concession.

Now it has emerged that some “powerful” elements and cronies within the current administration were allegedly scheming to share the shares of Power Distribution Service Ghana Limited.

Three names that have been mentioned in all these dealings surrounding the dubious PDS deal are Philip Ayensu, who happens to be a board member of PDS, Edward Akufo-Addo, also known as Bumpty is blood brother to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, the nephew of President Akufo-Addo.

Ameri deal

An energy sector transaction led to the dismissal of Boakye Agyarko as energy minister in 2018, barely a year after his appointment.

Five years on, he has revealed that part of the reason he was removed has to do with the involvement of Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko in meddling with the said deal on his blind side.

Boakye Agyarko in a viral interview on Kumasi-based Asanteman FM, alleged that Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko singlehandedly re-negotiated the Ameri deal without the consent of the committee set up by the government to work on the deal.

He added that when he confronted Gabby on the matter, he told him to be quiet because President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was already in the know of the steps he (Gabby) had taken.

Agyarko said he was on a flight to the US when Gabby called him.

Frimpong-Boateng galamsey report

Gabby was also mentioned in a leaked report by the former environment minister, Prof. Frimpong-Boateng who said Gabby's legal services to a galamsey company had interferred with his work.

Gabby has since sued for defamation stating that some of the claims by the professor were untrue and had lowered him in the eyes of right thinking persons in society.

SARA

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