Power Min. seeks AMERI deal ratification

The Power Ministry has asked the Board of the Public Procurement Authority to ratify the Government of Ghana’s contract with Africa and Middle East Resources Investment Group (AMERI), signed in 2015.

In a letter dated January 25, 2016 and addressed to the Chief Executive Officer of the Authority, the Ministry asked the board to officially validate the contract with the Dubai-based firm for the provision of a fast-track power generation solution by the installation of 10 GE TM 2500 aero derivatives gas turbines.

The government of Ghana signed the Build Operate Own and Transfer (BOOT) deal for the 225-MW AMERI plant worth $510 million, as part of measures to end the power crisis that had occasioned a load management programme for more than three years.

As part of its efforts toward addressing the problem, by principally shifting to non-hydro sources of power, the government entered into the agreement with AMERI Energy for the power barge, which sparked a lot of controversy in Ghana after a Norwegian newspaper, VG, reported that Ghana could have bought the barge outrightly for ownership for about $220 rather than the $510 BOOT deal.

The Ministry of Power, however, mounted a defence in favour of the agreement with the AMERI group, denying any wrongdoing in the deal.