Government lying on $51m savings on AMERI deal – Minority

The minority in Parliament is challenging government claim of saving $51 million with the new AMERI deal currently in Parliament

The minority is challenging government’s claim that it is saving the country $51 million with the renegotiated AMERI Energy deal currently in Parliament.

Energy Minister John Peter Amewu last week replaced the controversial AMERI Novation agreement which saw the exit of his predecessor Boakye Agyarko with a new deal.

According to the government, the new deal is saving the country over $50 million of the original contract amount of $510 million.

However speaking to the media, the Minority spokesperson on mines and energy Adam Mutawakilu argued such a claim is misleading.

According to him, what the government is saving is less than $10millon with the new deal.

“The main cost of the AMERI agreement was $510million of which this government said it should have been $360million. What has been the reduction in respect to the cost of the equipment? The reduction is $9.8million, less than $10million. They are confusing Ghanaians,” the Damango MP told journalists Tuesday.

“It’s just a haircut in contracting,” he added.

The Mahama administration signed a $510 million contract with AMERI to build power plants, own and operate it for five years before transferring it to the Government of Ghana during the energy crisis in 2015.

This was done on a sole-source basis after a meeting between the former President of the Republic of Ghana and the Crown Prince of Dubai.

The NPP then in opposition described the agreement as a “stinking deal” which will be re-looked at when it assumes power.

A 17-member committee established by the Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko advised the government to re-negotiate the $510m power deal with UAE-based AMERI energy after a report revealed it was over-priced by $150million.