I’ve not contradicted myself - Jinapor justifies his ‘shifting’ positions on PDS termination

A former Deputy Power Minister, John Jinapor is denying he contradicted himself when he said the government could face a lawsuit from the Power Distribution Services (PDS) Ltd. in the power concession agreement. This was after he earlier called for the termination of the PDS agreement.

At different times this year, Mr. Jinapor cautioned government not to proceed with the PDS deal as it was ‘fraudulent’. However, upon termination of the deal by government, Mr. Jinapor appeared to have shifted from his earlier position.

He had said “we (Ghanaians) are likely to have some legal suits because PDS has already gone into contractual obligations. What happened to those contractual obligations? That is why we are calling for investigations to determine which contracts have been entered into, whether they were done properly, whether they are legal and binding, and whether they can be remedied. And that is why I am saying that this is the time to exercise maximum restraint and ensure that we do what is proper without rushing to pursue certain actions that will be inimical to the state,” he said.

Government communicators took him to task by sharing his different positions in mockery.

Reacting, Mr. Jinapor insists he has not contradicted himself.

“I have not contradicted myself as government communicators are seeking to portray, I rather sort to caution this government and ECG in particular (knowing their indecent haste in awarding contracts) to exercise maximum restraint and not rush to award contracts which could be inimical to the state and the power sector”, he said.

“It is obvious government communicators haven’t learnt from the embarrassing spectacle the Akufo-Addo led Government has brought onto this Nation through their dubious acts. My call for investigations to determine which contracts have been entered into, whether they were done properly or are legally binding, and whether they can be remedied are legitimate questions lingering on the minds of well-meaning Ghanaians.” He added.

In a related development, Chairman of the Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC), Dr. Steve Manteaw had also warned that Ghana risks endangering its relations with the United States for ending the concession agreement with the Power Distribution Services (PDS).

The government officially announced the termination of its power concession agreement with PDS in a statement dated Friday, October 18, 2019.

It said in the statement that the decision was taken at a meeting in the US with the Secretary to President Akufo-Addo, Nana Bediatuo Asante and officials of the Millennium Challenge Corporation.