BOST saga: Akufo-Addo, BNI covering up MD’s ‘stinking deals’ – Minority accuses

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Members of Parliament are accusing the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI), of their determination to cover up the alleged 5 million litres fuel rot at the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company Limited (BOST) .

But the Minority members in parliament are not happy about government posture into the investigation, insisting the move is and attempt by the Akufo-Addo administration to save and protect their own off the hook.

Speaking to the media in today [Tuesday], the Minority Leader of Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu, addressed that, the NDC MPs will go on every mile to expose the alleged rot at BOST.

“There is a very bizarre and uncharacteristic developments in our country today that we are being told that the BNI is acting in a manner that we don’t only smell, but we can sense a cover up in respect of the matter which bothers on fraud, corruption and abuse of office.

We are aware that the Ministry of Energy has set up a committee to investigate the matter, why is BNI asking for dissolution of the committee?” he lamented.

According to the Minority Leader, if BNI eventually succeed in taking over the matter, “that can only be a gargantuan cover, and we believe that this action of the BNI can only be sowing the seed of corruption in our country and also allowing and preventing sunshine on matters that are of public interest.”

The Tamale central MP also insisted that the mere admission of NPA to the extent that they were unaware and had not licensed any entity also raises major issues as to which entity, registered the fraudulent company into the whole transaction.

Haruna Iddrisu rejected the clearance of BOST CEO by the BNI, and further called on the president Akufo-Addo to stop such cover ups if he really wants to fight corruption as he had promised Ghanaians.

BOST had been in the news for selling 5 million litres of contaminated fuel to two unlicensed companies, Movepiina and Zup Oil, which were allegedly set up few days before the sale making Ghana lose about GHc 7 million in revenue.

The NPA after complaining that it had not licensed the two firms, threatened to take legal action against the companies while investigations continue into the matter.

Some documents sighted by Citi News revealed that such cases had occurred at BOST in the past since about 38 unlicensed companies benefited from such deal between 2015 and 2016.

The Ministry of Energy subsequently set up an eight-member committee to investigate the issue.

The Minority and Majority Members of Parliament also waded into the controversy taking divergent positions.

Whereas the Minority called for the appointment termination of the current Managing Director of BOST, Alfred Obeng Boateng, the Majority demanded a full scale investigation into the matter beginning from the era of the former BOST boss, Kingsley Kwame Awuah-Darko.