Member of Parliament for Bongo constituency in the Upper East Region, Edward Bawa has lashed out at Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko for claiming that the erstwhile Mahama administration sold about 20 million litres off-spec products between 2014 and 2016.
The Bongo constituency lawmaker who described the Minister’s statement as falsehood remarked that the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Co. Ltd (BOST) recorded only about 200,000 litres of contaminated fuel between 2014-2016 which was treated at APD BOST.
“I dispute the Energy Minister’s figures. The maximum slop tank capacity at BOST is 450,000 litres which is very different from the 20 milion litres off-spec as claimed by the Energy Minister. We couldn't have stored that much and sell within two years. This is part of attempt to create a cocktail of confusion in the minds of Ghanaians", he said.
Mr Bawa also questioned the quantity of contaminated oil claimed to have been sold between 2014 and 2016 as well as the 20 million litres off-spec products.
Meanwhile The Minority Caucus in Parliament has criticised the Bureau of National Investigations' directive to the Ministry of Energy to stop investigations into the case involving the sale of five million litres of contaminated fuel at BOST.
The Minority said the order by the BNI to the Ministry to discontinue its investigations is an attempt by government to cover-up the huge fraud at BOST.
Mr Haruna Iddrisu, the Minority Leader, briefing the media in Parliament House, said the action by the BNI was bizarre adding that he sensed a cover-up by the government on an issue which borders on fraud, corruption, and abuse of office.
The Ministry of Energy, last week, setup a Ministerial Committee to investigate the alleged scandal where five million litres of contaminated fuel at was sold by BOST to some unlicensed companies.
Mr Iddrisu said the action by the BNI could only be sowing seeds of corruption in the country than allowing sunshine on matters that was of public interest.
“We are aware that the Ministry of Energy has set up a committee to investigate the matter, we are now being told the BNI is asking for a dissolution of that committee, that can only be a gargantuan cover-up on a matter which is fraudulent,” he said.
Mr Iddrisu said the sale of contaminated fuel mattered to motorists and the admission by the regulator; National Petroleum Authority, to the extent that they were unaware and had not licensed a particular entity also raised major concern as to which entity the state should be dealing with.
He called on the BNI to come public and share with the people what they have investigated and what their findings are and not just a mere statement to the effect that the Minister should dissolve his committee.
Mr Iddrisu said the Minority was aware of an internal turf struggle between the Ministry and other players within government.
He said the Minority found the recent development unacceptable and urged President Akufo-Addo to show leadership in fighting corruption.
He said the President should not be seen supporting any cover-up and must allow the Ministerial Committee to proceed henceforth with the full investigation of the matter and report publicly “or may as well say they are not interested in any other matter of public interest.”
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