AKSA Deal: Asante Berko, associates made $42m from power deal - Solomon Owusu

The final judgment of the United States (US) court, which convicted the former Managing Director of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), Asante Berko, has reportedly shown that he and his associates were making over $42 million from the AKSA power deal.

Communications Director of the Unity Party, Solomon Owusu, who shared excerpts of the ruling during a recent discussion on Angel FM/TV, stated that the over $1 million bribe given to public officials was not the main reason for Asante Berko’s conviction.

He said that the main issue is that some people sold out the government of Ghana and taxpayers' money was looted in the quest to find a solution for the country’s power challenge at that time.

He said that the document showed that the people of Ghana were overcharged in the AKSA deal and Asante Berko and his associates allegedly made millions of dollars from it.

“The $1 million bribe is not even the issue. If you look at the court document beyond this (the bribe), Berko and a Turkish guy demanded that they would be given a share in all businesses if they were able to secure the contract (the AKSA deal).

“So, the agreement was that the money they were going to earn depended on the price per kilowatt they were selling the power to the government of Ghana. Initially, they were supposed to get $25 million a year but the Turkish company said it would go against them. So, they went to meet in London and agreed that the deal should not be dependent on the price per kilowatt,” he said.

He added, “So, Berko and his associates charged $42 million. This is where the issue is and not the $1 million bribe - $1 million is chicken change; the court document captures $42 million. As Ghanaians are suffering, Berko and his associates were enjoying.”

Kwabena Donkor, Amadu Sorogho and KT Hammond named in Turkey trip

Solomon Owusu went on to urge the government of Ghana to fight to get some of these back because it has now been established that the companies involved in the deal, the US financial market, and Asante Berko benefited from the deal at the expense of the government of Ghana.

Watch a video of his remarks below:

Man of the Moment Solomon OWUSU on Attorney General working with America 🇺🇸 authorities to pursue people allegedly involved in the bribery scheme linked to the financing of a Turkish 🇹🇷 power plant following the conviction of Asante Kweku Berko, former Goldman Sachs executive in… pic.twitter.com/rbSqFRQf35

— Aristotlektv (@aristotledada) August 10, 2026

BAI/VPO

Government upholds revocation of Adamus Mine lease