Bawumia was part of PDS fiasco – Eric Opoku

The Member of Parliament(MP) for Asunafo South, Eric Opoku, has said Vice President, Dr Mahammadu Bawumia was very much involved in the collapse of Power Distribution Service (PDS).

Commenting on the circumstances that led to the suspension of the concession agreement with the energy company, the former Brong Ahafo Regional Minister told host of Dwaboase on Power 97.9 FM, Kaakyire Appea-Apraku that Dr Bawumia meddled in the process of getting a guarantee for the deal to benefit some few persons in government.

Power Distribution Services (PDS) was found to lack the financial capacity to provide $12.5m in guarantees when they took over ECG management in March 2019, but Mr Opoku said the Vice President ordered for the guarantee to be changed to insurance guarantees.

“Dr Bawumia the Vice President interfered in the deal when PDS failed to meet the required guarantee,” he said while accusing the government of conniving with some partners to fleece the country.

According to Hon. Opoku, the downfall of PDS was as result of Bawumia changing the agreement from a bank guarantee.

His comment comes after the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) accused president Akufo-Addo and his vice as well as Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Ata of fraud in the deal.

General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketiah said the government terminated the PDS contract and resorted to a restrictive tendering in the next three months in a deliberate attempt by the government to “cook” a deal for themselves.

According to Mr Asiedu Nketiah, President Akufo-Addo, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, and Energy Minister Peter Amewu all knew about the fraud that went on while the contract had not been terminated, saying “there is too much corruption in their DNA.”

Calling for a clean up at the relevant institutions, Mr Asiedu Nketiah added: “It is imperative that these urgent actions be taken even as we await the official position of the Millenium Challenge Corporation (MCC) on the termination of the PDS concession and the future of the power compact itself.”

He added that the NDC holds the view that any attempt to select another concessionaire will be “tantamount to fetching water with a leaking basket if those who caused this PDS mess are still at post.”

The NDC is thus demanding that the government “completely abandon the idea of proceeding to engage a proposed restrictive tendering process or any other process for that matter for the selection of a new concessionaire with immediate effect.”