I rejected $200k bribe over Mytilineos AMERI deal - MP for Damango

The controversy over the renegotiated AMERI Deal is taking an entirely new twist as ranking member on the Mines and Energy Committee of parliament who is also MP for Damango, Hon Adams Mutawakilu has revealed some people attempted to compromise him with a 200,000 dollar bribe regarding his vociferous opposition to the new AMERI Deal.

The MP who has been one of the most active ranking members in parliament has been a torn in the flesh of government on numerous energy issues, not least the new AMERI Deal which cost the former Energy Minister his job.

The MP was speaking on a local Radio Radio Station in Damango monitored by MyNewsGH.com.

Hon. Garlus, as the MP is also known touted his integrity in politics and said he refused to accept a bribe of 200,000 dollars in the wake of the AMERI deal saga.

The Akufo-Addo government, our readers will recall took the decision to revise the old AMERI deal, taking it to Parliament under a certificate of urgency.

But the House deferred its deliberation on the contract due to concerns over the cost and value for money, which was trumpeted by think tanks ACEP and IES.

The new agreement was to extend the current five-year deal with Africa and Middle East Resources Investment Group (AMERI) Energy which is currently operating a 300MW emergency power plant in Ghana to 15 years and bring onboard a new company from Greece, Mytilineous International Trading Company, to manage the plant for the period.

Analysis from observers indicates that the proposed amendment to the AMERI agreement will see a cash flow of $1,125,007,380.

But it is expected that the government would be paying a total of $1.375 billion for the AMERI power plant over approximately 15 years instead of the original $510 million.

ACEP, IES oppose deal

The Institute for Energy Security (IES) said it was appalled by the lack of due diligence in the re-negotiation of the AMERI deal by the government.

The Institute’s Research Analyst Mikdad Mohammed in an exclusive interview with MyNewsGH.com had said the deal was “a rip off”. “The 15 years computation of the applicable tariff charges and the capital recovery costs in the light of what Ghana stood to gain after the 5th year of the existing BOOT deal with AMERI is a total slap in the face of value for money. It will be unacceptable for this agreement to pass” he said.

“If the cash flow of $102m for 5 years under the first AMERI deal is bad, how do we call a $75m cash flow for 15 years or 13 years as an extension of the first?” He quizzed.

The Executive Director of the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), Bernard Boakye also asked parliament to reject the renegotiated AMERI deal.

“Looking at the contract as it is and what we have seen from Parliament we can conclude that this deal is even worse than the original contract.” He said.

“We signed a five-year arrangement with AMERI and we are supposed to pay $510m. That is a five-year cash flow of 102 million every year. Already we have paid $171 million. Under this new agreement, we are committing to pay an extra $39 million which will bring the total settlement to 210. What is being transferred to this new company is the 300 million that we would have paid to AMERI.” he explained.

Agyarko out; Amewu takes over

Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin announced President Nana Akufo-Addo has removed the Energy Minister and that the president was acting in the best interests of the country.

“In a nutshell, it [the dismissal] is to do with the issue of the controversial AMERI deal. That is why the President has relieved the Minister for Energy of his position.”

“We all know the circumstances. We all know the story that has panned out as a result of the deal and the President believes that in the interest of the Ghanaian people, in the interest of the country and in the interest of his own administration, the Minister for Energy, Hon. Boakye Agyarko should be relieved of his position,” Eugene Arhin told our sister news outlet, Citi.

John Peter Amewu was to act as Minister. He was later made substantive, while the Brong Ahafo Regional Minister took over his old job.