The Board Chairman of the Ghana National Petroleum Authority (GNPC) Mr Freddie Blay has said he did no wrong in the deal with PetroSA for which some civil society groups are calling for his dismissal.
The CSOs call for him to be sacked comes on the heels of recent reports and documents indicating the GNPC plan to sell 50% stake in Jubilee Holdings Limited (JOHL) in a deal with a South African oil company, PetroSA.
Coordinator for the Economic Governance Platform, Abdul Karim Mohammed told the press that the persistent involvement of such persons associated with such deals pose significant risk to Ghana’s stake and interest in the petroleum sector.
“We demand the immediate removal of GNPC’s CEO, Opoku Ahweneeh Danquah and the Board Chairman, Freddie W. Blay from their respective positions as they have become a threat to Ghana’s interest in the petroleum sector”, he said.
“It is a viable field, and it is giving us a lot of money if we allow this to go forward. What it means is that PetroSA will be entitled to 50 percent of the earnings from the field, whereas they have not had any role in developing the field to the point where it is now viable,” he explained.
“The information we have is that the Minister for Energy has objected to this transaction but the Chairman of GNPC Board is pushing this transaction to the extent that the Minister of Energy had written to the Jubilee House over this transaction,” the Coordinator added.
But Mr Freddie Blay said “I don’t see any reason why they are saying I should resign about this issue. I have done nothing wrong.”
He further disclosed that he had discussed the matter with President Akufo-Addo. However, he clarified that the president had not indicated any intention to request his resignation. Mr. Blay asserted that the law would ultimately determine the outcome, and he expressed confidence in the legal process, mentioning the existence of relevant documents related to the agreement.
He further said regarding reports of a strained relationship with Energy Minister Mathew Opoku Prempeh, “I don’t think we [he and Mr. Prempeh] have any differences that are so serious that they are detrimental to the interest of Ghana.
“You know, NAPO has strong opinions, and I am also a little determined when I am talking about anything that I know of. We met today and we exchanged ideas brightly,” he told Accra-based Citi FM.