BNI clears BOST MD; Energy Ministry to dissolve Committee

The Bueau of National Investigations (BNI) and the National Security have cleared the Managing Director of the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST) Company Limited, Alfred Obeng Boateng, of any wrongdoing in the sale of 5 million litres of contaminated fuel, a document sighted by Kasapafmonline.com has revealed.

This follows investigations conducted by the two state security agencies into the controversial sale of the contaminated fuel to Movenpiina Company Limited.

Some aspects of the intercepted report have it that:

1. The product contamination occurred on January 18, 2017 and the MD for BOST assumed office on January 23, 2017 and cannot be held responsible for it.

2. As a competent MD, he interdicted the officers involved and set up a six-member committee chaired by the Head of Internal Audit Department, Mr. Edmund Aquah on February 8, 2017 to find out the causes of the contamination.

3. The MD has received a draft copy of the committee’s report waiting for the final report on July 7, 2017.

4. A laboratory test from TOR and technical recommendation made by the General Manager, Terminal, Fred Ayarkwa indicated that out of the options available, selling the product for industrial purposes such as asphalt processing, texture and cement manufacturing was the best. This option was recommended to the MD because TOR is not refining currently and the laboratory result clearly stated that treating it would not give the required quality of AGO (Diesel).

5. Among the fifteen companies that expressed interest, Movenpiina price was the highest. Its initial price was GHS 0.90 per liter as the highest followed by Nation Links Oil which quoted GHS 0.80 per liter. Despite these quotations, BOST pushed Movenpiina to pay GHS1.30 per liter which is the highest BOST has ever sold contamination products. The highest that was sold under the previous administration headed by Kwame Awuah Darko was GHS 1.00 per liter.

The report in part further stated that per the company law, a company can transact business before incorporation which is referred to as pre-incorporation activities which is subject to ratification by the Board of Directors of the company.

It was also established that the private office of the BOST MD is at the Airport Residential Area whilst Movenpiina registered address is at East Legon with its operational office located at Awudomi. The telephone numbers of the company, according to the report, is different from that of the BOST MD.

It noted that Mr. Alfred Obeng Boateng is neither a Director nor a shareholder of Movenpiina according to documents at the Registrar General’s Department, hence, “could not see any link between BOST MD and Movenpiina.

Further findings of the security agencies also revealed that the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has never licensed a single company or entity dealing in waste petroleum product in Ghana.

The report further revealed that between 2014 and 2016 under NDC, BOST sold contaminated products to more than 50 companies at the full glare of NPA officials but no red flag was ever raised. It said the new management followed the same convention and practice and has therefore not erred.

Findings of the report, Kasapafmonline.com understands, will be presented to the Minister of Energy, today, July 4, 2017.

Our sources say the Minister of Energy, Hon. Boakye Agyarko, upon receipt of the report will address the media to set the records straight and also announce the dissolution of the eight-member committee set up by the Energy Ministry to probe the matter.