I didn't go into politics to steal, make money – Alfred Obeng

Former MD of the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company Limited (BOST), Alfred Obeng Boateng, has said he did not enter the political arena to amass wealth.

Mr Obeng Boateng was sacked by President Nana Akufo-Addo on 6 June 2018 without any reasons given.

Subsequently, he has been accused by the Executive Secretary of the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers Ghana (COPEC-Ghana), Duncan Amoah, of deliberately contaminating fuel and selling same to oil marketing companies for personal gain.

The COPEC boss also accused Mr Oebng Boateng of making questionable payments to one of BOST’s clients, Springfield Energy, to the tune of US$4 million as part-payment of a US$9 million interest on a principal judgment debt of US$11,104,143.2 awarded them by a court for the loss of an oil consignment which Springfield took to BOST for storage in 2013.

According to Mr Amoah, this alleged act on the part of Mr Obeng Boateng smacks of criminality, for which the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) and the National Security must act by arresting the ex-MD.

Last year, BOST, under the leadership of Mr Obeng Boateng allegedly sold contaminated fuel to Movenpiina, an unlicensed oil marketing company.

Mr Amoah told Chef Jerry Forson on Ghana Yensom on Accra 100.5FM on Monday, 17 September 2018 that about one million litres of the contaminated fuel was sold to some fuel stations, who, in turn, sold to car users at the pumps – a situation which could destroy vehicles.

“EOCO and the National Security must intervene and arrest Alfred Obeng for questioning. He must be made to account for the over one million litres of the contaminated fuel that cannot be accounted for. The current CEO of BOST should not be blamed, let us blame Alfred Obeng for the issue.”

Mr Amoah said Mr Obeng Boateng “must tell us the fuel stations he sold the contaminated fuel to and the amount he got from the sale. If he is unable to account for it, then that alone is enough for the state security to go after him.”

Reacting to these claims on Ghana Yensom with sit-in host Katakyie Obeng Mensah on Wednesday, 19 September, Mr Boateng said: “I am an engineer by profession, I am a lawyer by profession, I hold Master’s in Oil and Gas and I have published quite a number of books, even when I was in the first year at the University.



“I didn’t come into politics to steal or amass wealth, and, so, Duncan Amoah and his cohorts should prepare for me, I am going to respond to the issues he raised one by one in the coming days. Duncan Amoah is walking with his stomach, he has established that NGO and is using it to attack people for food.”

He added: “I am a man of principle, and I worked in the interest of BOST to make profit for the company”.

According to him, “The workers there know that I wouldn’t do anything illegal”, adding: “I can show you the legal advice I got from the Head of Legal Affairs before making the payment”.

“That alone”, he said, “is enough to exonerate me from any wrongdoing”.

“I paid US$4 million, yes, but before paying, the Head of Legal Affairs gave an opinion and I made the payment based on that legal opinion. I followed corporate governance, I have studied law, I have a legal practice certificate and, so, I understand corporate governance”.