‘Dirty’ Fuel saga: BOST MD exonerated by BNI, National Security

Managing Director of the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST) Company Limited; Alfred Obeng Boateng has been exonerated by the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) and the National security in the case involving the sale of contaminated fuel to some companies in the country.

Mr. Obeng Boateng was cited to have overseen activites leading to the sale of five million litres of contaminated fuel to two petroleum firms, Movenpiina and Zup Oil.

Investigations by the two state security agencies however indicate that he has been cleared of any wrongdoing and has no direct relationship with Movenpiina one of the two firms in question.

Minority in Parliament however have on the back of these revelations, accused the BNI of attempting to “cover up” the issue with their findings. According to them, the exoneration is a mere effort by the BNI to hide from the public, the actual details of the issue.

Minority Leader in Parliament; Haruna Iddrisu, addressing pressmen in Parliament Tuesday July 4 indicated that they will pursue the issue to the core till the ‘truth’ emerges.

“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 of the selling of contaminated oil by BOST which matter 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.”

The Minority side condemned the decision of the BNI to dissolve the committee set up by the Energy Ministry to probe the alleged rot at BOST, describing it as “a gargantuan cover up on a matter which is fraudulent”, adding that they believe “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.”

Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko speaking at a Press Conference Tuesday however ‘rubbished’ minority’s allegations. According to him, the ministry was very transparent in its dealings regarding the issue, providing adequate evidence to back their statements. He further stated that there would have been an orchestrated attempt to get all the agencies “singing to the same tune” if this was indeed an attempt to cover up the issue.

“We have been as transparent as possible, for example, on the allegations that were put forth, we have provided evidence, we have the list of all the 49 companies and individuals that traded off-specs, we have put that matter out…when the matter came out, if it was a cover up, then there would have been an orchestrated response so that all the agencies will be singing the same tune…”, he explained.

Background

BOST has come under massive criticism after reports in the media suggested the sale of 5 million litres of contaminated fuel to two unlicensed companies, Movepiina and Zup Oil under the watch of the Managing Director, Alfred Obeng Boateng.

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.

Many, following the revelation called for the resignation and or dismissal of the Managing Director and called for investigations into the issue with Minority members in Parliament pushing for a thorough probe