Boakye Agyarko blasts COPEC; accuses them of blackmail

Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko is outraged over what he described as consistent attacks on the Managing Director of Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company Limited (BOST), Mr Alfred Obeng Boateng by Chamber of Petroleum Consumers -Ghana (COPEC).

According to the Minister, it is mind-boggling that COPEC has been attacking the MD of BOST even when they lack understanding about the issues they are accusing the MD of.

In his view, the ongoing media war against BOST could be an act of blackmail warning that he cannot sit down for such things to continue.

“We will not sit down under blackmail,” he fumed.

The Executive Secretary of COPEC-Ghana Duncan Amoah last week Monday accused the management of BOST for allegedly causing financial loss to the state in the sale of some barrels of crude oil.

He claimed Ghana lost an estimated GHS30million in revenue when 1.8million barrels of crude oil was sold to an “unlicensed company” BB Energy.

He alleged the oil was sold to the private company at a discount of two dollars a barrel when prices on the international market were on the rise.

Duncan Amoah also alleged that Mr Alfred Obeng Boateng has sent some assassins to come after his life when he pressed the alarm bells on the matter.

This claims prompted the management of BOST to hold a press conference to respond to issues Mr Duncan Amoah raised.

Addressing the press head of fuel trade at BOST, Albert Mantey, refuted the allegations by Mr. Duncan Amoah sold 1.8million barrel of crude at $54 per barrel instead of $56, insisting that, the company did nothing wrong in the sale of the fuel in question.

He claimed that Mr Duncan is being pushed to peddle lies and falsehood about BOST in a bid to damage the reputation of the company.

However, not satisfied with the response from BOST, COPEC on Monday petitioned the special prosecutor Mr Martin A. B.A Amidu to investigate the issue and prosecute the wrongdoers.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Oman News, Mr Boakye Agyarko hinted that the truth about the whole deal will soon be told and Ghanaians will know who is deceiving the general public.

He welcomed the decision by COPEC to petition the special prosecutor but was quick to add that “the fact that you have gone to petition the special prosecutor doesn’t mean that you are right. Because if that is the case otherwise everybody who goes to the court first will win his or her case.”

“They can’t use the special prosecutor to frighten anybody” he added.