Asante Berko resigns from TOR following bribery scandal

Managing Director of the Tema Oil Refinery has finally tabled a resignation to the President of the republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo after his name and person was involved in an alleged bribery scandal.

A statement signed by Eugene Arhin, Director of Communications at the Presidency indicates that the president has received and accepted a resignation letter from Asante Berko

Mr. Asante Berko had earlier issued a two page statement to clear himself of the allegations levelled against him.

Below is the statement from the Jubilee House:

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Power Purchase Bribery Scandal: “I appeared before investigative body” – John Jinapor confirms

Former Deputy Minister of Power under the Mahama administration, John Jinapor, has said he played no frontal role on negotiations that led to Ghana’s purchase of a power plant in 2015.

Mr Jinapor has however confirmed that he had appeared before an investigative body concerning the alleged bribery.

According to him, the then Power Minister, Kwabena Donkor was the government’s representative on major discussions on the project.

His comment follows a report from the United States of America’s Securities and Exchange Commission which indicts some former government officials and legislators.

The reports say the officials were influenced with bribes totalling $4.5million by intermediaries of a Turkish energy company in a bid to land a power deal with the Ghana government.

Speaking in an interview on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen, Mr Jinapor said even though he was a Deputy Power Minister at the time the alleged bribery occured, he was not directly involved in any negotiations.

“As a deputy minister, I act on the instructions of a minister and was not assigned to this deal so I cannot be directly involved in this AKSA bribery scandal. I have appeared before an investigative body on this AKSA issue but said what I knew,” he said.

He added he is clear in his conscience on the AKSA bribery scandal and ready to appear before any investigative body.

Meanwhile, the report also fingered the Managing Director of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), Mr Asante Berko who is said to have facilitated the payment of the bribes.

Blame Game? “Kwabena Donkor led discussions on AKSA deal not me” – John Jinapor reveals identity Gov’t official one in the deal

A deputy Power Minister under the erstwhile Mahama administration, John Jinapor, has revealed the identity of the government official who led negotiations on the purchase of a power plant project in 2015.

It has emerged that some government officials were influenced with bribes totalling $2.5million by intermediaries of a Turkish energy company in their bid to land a power deal with the Ghanaian government.

The report appears to have ruffled feathers in the camp of the former government and John Jinapor has moved to distance himself from the allegations.

According to John Jinapor, he played no frontal role in the purchasing of the power plant.

He confirmed that the substantive Power Minister then, Kwabena Donkor was the government’s representative on major discussions on the project.

He however expressed conviction that his former boss did due diligence and acted in the interest of Ghana.

He also appealed to Ghanaians to be circumspect with commentaries on the scandal as trails are yet to start on the matter.

“I was deputy power minister when this bribery issue happened but not directly involved. As a deputy minister, I act on the instructions of a minister so I cannot be directly involved in this AKSA bribery scandal. I wasn’t directly involved or assigned to this AKSA deal so I cannot give details to the said bribery issues”

“I worked with Kwabena Donkor as deputy where this AKSA deal happened. He did his best and left but never assigned me to the AKSA thing. The minister Kwabena Donkor did not assign me to anything involving the AKSA deal. I cannot give details on what happened. One should be careful discussing this whole AKSA bribery scandal because the trial is yet to begin”.

Meanwhile the Managing Director of Tema Oil Refinery who has been charged by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission for ‘orchestrating a bribery scheme’ has rejected the charges.

Asante Berko described as false, claims of him paying bribes to government officials and members of Parliament.

“My attention has been drawn to reportage in the local and international news media, as well as documents in social media on the morning of 14th April 2020. The essence of the story is that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in the United States has issued civil proceedings against me, alleging that I bribed government officials and members of Parliament in Ghana to enable a Turkish IPP secure a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).”

“While it is true that the SEC has just this week issued such proceedings against me, the allegations that government officials and members of Parliament were bribed by me, are completely false. I am therefore compelled to set the record straight,” he said in a statement.

Source: http://www.ghanaweb.com