NDC Gurus In Oil deals

AFTER TERRIBLY castigating Sahara Oil of Nigeria for lifting crude oil into the country under the Kufuor Administration, officials of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) have in just 10 months in power, formed numerous companies to supply oil, according to the Minority in Parliament.

The new companies, the Minority disclosed, include Manitwoc, Scan Oil, Forrestor, Crest Grade International, Kempac, Petro Ghana, Cush Oil, Smk Energy, Mafci and Joint Development.

“There is evidence to suggest that some of these entities are companies which have been hurriedly formed by leading members of the NDC in an attempt to cash in on the importation of petroleum products while the good people of Ghana continue to suffer high-priced and little supply of petroleum products,” the Minority group indicated at the news conference in Accra yesterday.

Addressing the media on behalf the Minority, former Deputy Minister for Energy and Member of Parliament for Nkoranza South, Kwame Amporfo-Twumasi, said there were reasons to believe that shady underhand dealings were going on with these companies that have no track record globally or even on the continent, in dealing with the supply of petroleum products.

“We are reliably informed that at least one of the companies listed above has been blacklisted in one country,” Mr. Amporfo-Twumasi hinted, stressing that the NDC is placing private commercial interest over national welfare.

Describing President Atta Mills’ administration as a “Government of Committees”, the Minority asked the Chief Executive of the Land to yet again form another committee to find out when these companies were formed, where they are based and who are behind them.

The Committee, the Minority demanded, should also investigate whether the new companies are reputable organisations known globally or even on the African continent to be dealing in petroleum products.

“The President must, pursuant to his much-touted anti corruption crusade, cause an immediate investigation to unveil the plaque covering these newly-introduced companies and their operations for us to know who are behind these mushroom companies and whether or not Ghanaians are being shortchanged,” the Minority demanded.

Touching on a wide range of issues, including alleged official corruption in the petroleum sector, the Minority also accused the Atta Mills Administration of harassing a Ghanaian investor, George Owusu, the man who apparently brought Kosmos Energy into the country for the nation’s oil find.

“We wish to point out the unfair and inhumane manner in which a leading Ghanaian partner in KOSMOS, Mr. George Owusu, has been extensively investigated by the Ghanaian law enforcement agencies including stripping him naked in his own house, conducting many surprise searches in the house, office, going through his computer hard drive and bank accounts,” the Minority lamented.

George Owusu is said to have a 5 percent stake in Kosmos Oil and has reportedly been under intense investigation by the NDC Administration over issues that are not immediately clear.

The Minority is baffled as to why Ghanaian partners who facilitated the oil discovery are being hounded by the security agencies and treated as villains instead of being hailed as heroes, noting that it was not against investigation of any person if there were wrongdoings but it was the modus operandi that was questionable.

“Does Professor Mills realize that by these actions, they are discouraging investors in the oil and gas sector as the signals are filtering out to the world community that Ghana cannot recognize their own citizens, and that it could be worse for non-Ghanaians to have their investments secured?” Minority quizzed the President, indicating that the country’s favourable image is fast declining as investors have expressed serious concerns on how Ghanaians are being treated.

Equally worrisome, according to the Minority, is the manner in which GNPC is compelling KOSMOS to sell its stake to companies of its (GNPC) choice as against companies that are globally known to have the track record in global oil production that would make Ghana a top class player in the oil and gas industry at the world level.

“We wish to state that there is a total lack of transparency in the transactions being orchestrated by GNPC and we are by this statement serving notice that the GNPC would be required to appraise the nation fully through the august House of Parliament, of these matters,” Minority stressed.

“President Mills should turn his attention in this direction and immediately put an end to the corruption that is taking place right beneath his nose and stop harassing investors in the oil industry,” the Minority charged.

By Awudu Mahama & Sheilla Sackey