Government planning to hand out opaque gas contract to private firm without approval - Minority

The Minority Caucus in Parliament has accused the Akufo-Addo administration of engaging in the process of handing out natural gas resource contracts even as it nears its final months in office.

The Ranking Member on the Mines and Energy Committee of Parliament, John Abdulai Jinapor, specifically mentioned that the government is seeking to hand over natural gas contracts to some private companies without parliamentary approval.

In a media interaction on Monday, May 6, 2024, John Jinapor described the plans as dubious and illegitimate, thereby negatively impacting the country in the end.

"We have taken delivery of documents that suggest the award of a contract, or what is technically known as GPP2, which is the second phase of the gas infrastructure project for the country, was taken under very opaque, dubious, and suspicious circumstances.

"Indeed, we are getting confirmation that the original company that bid for the contract was a foreign one, but because of greed and corruption, some elements in government have connived to constitute a local company in order to avoid parliamentary scrutiny," the lawmaker said.

John Jinapor further alleged that two factions within the current government are determined to cannibalize the Ghana Gas Company Limited and share its resources for their own personal gain.

He cited the situation where a faction in the saga is in support of one Intel Logistics Bureau while the other is supporting Genser Energy Ghana Limited for the same natural gas resources.

"This has the potential to lead to serious judgement debt against the State.

"We in the Minority wish to send a caution, and let me make it clear that we are aware that some high-ranking officials in government are pressurizing the CEO of Ghana Gas [Dr. Ben Asante] to sign some of these dubious contracts," John Jinapor emphasized.

John Jinapor, however, stressed that the next John Dramani Mahama administration will not be bound by illegal and opaque contracts that go against the Republic of Ghana.



MA/NOQ