Ameri deal: 'Vindicated' Minority demands apology from gov’t

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The Minority side of Parliament[/caption] The Minority in Parliament is demanding an apology from government in respect of the “unwarranted attacks we received from the NPP in the run-up to 2016 general elections”  regarding the $510 million Ameri deal. The Minority is of the view that recent comments by Attorney General Gloria Akuffo on the matter vindicate the erstwhile NDC government of any wrongdoing. The John Mahama administration in 2015, entered into a build, own, operate and transfer (BOOT) agreement with Africa and Middle East Resources Investment (AMERI) Group to acquire an emergency power plant during the peak of the country’s power crisis. But after assuming office in 2017, the NPP government raised some concerns about the contract, alleging the country was shortchanged. The government threatened to abrogate the contract with an urgent motion filed by K.T Hammond requesting Parliament to overturn the agreement on the grounds of gross misrepresentation. This was contested by some members of the Minority. READ: Parliament has no authority to rescind Ameri deal – Kwabena Donkor The Attorney General recently warned the Energy Ministry to dismiss plans of terminating the AMERI deal because it will end up in huge damages against the government of Ghana. The Minority has taken the comments of the Attorney General as the government’s legal position on the matter and deems it a vindication that there was no wrongdoing in the deal. “This legal position has come to vindicate the position of the NDC, the erstwhile Mahama-led administration and the NDC Minority in Parliament that the contract (agreement) was/is clean and for that matter, there is no ground for suspension or abrogation of the contract,” said Adam Mutawakilu, the Ranking Member on the Mines and Energy Committee. Following the comments of the Attorney General on the matter and the delays in making public the report on the matter which is currently before the Committee, the Minority deems it an “inconsistency” on the part of government. “With all these developments and inconsistencies displayed by the Nana Addo/Bawumia government through the Minister of Energy, it came as no surprise to the NDC Minority in Parliament that the Attorney General’s Department has cleared AMERI Energy and the erstwhile Mahama administration of any wrongdoing in respect of the agreement”. They maintained the NPP government deceived Ghanaians and ought to apologize. “They must also apologize to Ghanaians for the deceit they perpetuated against them to solicit their voters.” By P.D Wedam|3news.com|Ghana]]>