PDS: Punish officials for causing financial loss – Minority to Akufo-Addo

The Minority in Parliament has accused the Akufo-Addo led government of causing financial loss to the state following the withdrawal of $190 million final tranche of the MCC compact II.

Speaking to the media in Parliament, Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu demanded officials responsible be held accountable for the loss of money to the state.

“Conversely we could term this as financial loss to the state arising out of the reckless, fraudulent and irresponsible acts of government in misleading parliament and misleading the entire country without thorough and diligent scrutiny of the documents they submitted to Parliament.”

“This will amount to financial loss to the state of Ghana and persons must be held accountable for that,” the Minority Leader told Starr News’ Parliamentary correspondent Ibrahim Alhassan.

His comments come after the US government cancelled the second tranche of $190 million dollars meant for Ghana under the millennium power compact.

“The United States of America notes this decision with regret. Based upon the conclusions of the independent forensic investigation, the U.S. position is that the transfer of operations, maintenance, and management of the Southern Distribution Network to the private concessionaire on March 1, 2019, was valid, and therefore the termination is unwarranted.

“As such, MCC has confirmed that the $190 million funds granted to Ghana at the March 1 transfer to the 20-year concession from ECG to PDS are no longer available.

The decision by the US government was taken after Ghana’s government decided to terminate the agreement with PDS over allegations of fraud.

Meanwhile, the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has from today, Wednesday, October 23, 2019, assumed full control of the electricity distribution business in the southern part of Ghana.

“The Electricity Company of Ghana Limited (ECG) has today, 23rd October, 2019 terminated Private Sector Participation Transaction Agreements with Power Distribution Services Ghana Limited (PDS).

“ECG has therefore assumed full operational and financial control of the electricity distribution business in the Southern Zone of Ghana with immediate effect. Consequently, all activities which were hitherto undertaken by PDS have reverted to ECG,” ECG said in a statement.