Akufo-Addo campaigns for former BOST MD as MP

Politics of Monday, September 28, 2020

Source: The Herald

2020-09-28

Alfred Obeng Boateng’s tenure at Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST) is one that many would have liked to forget as a result of the rampant corruption and malpractices he left behind, especially the sale of 5 million liters of contaminated oil to Movenpinaa Energy and Zup Oil in 2017.

But just a few years after firing the man Ken Agyapong described as one of the New Patriotic Party’s (PNP’s) biggest funders, President Akufo-Addo, has done the unthinkable by asking Ghanaians to vote for him as a member of parliament from Bibiani-Anhwiaso. – Bekwai constituency on the ruling nuclear power plant ticket.

Some suspect that some BOST agents deliberately contaminated the 5 million liters of oil to sell it cheaply to their preferred companies.

But the issue sent it to history for being investigated by the National Bureau of Investigation (BNI), a Ministerial Committee created by Boakye Agyarko, then Minister of Energy and led by a KNUST professor, Dr. Adarkwa.

The third committee was created by his successor, the late George Mensah Okley and led by Senyo Hosi of the Bulk Oil Distribution Companies (BDC).

Apart from BNI, which many doubted its report, but which became the basis for President Akufo-Addo to clear Mr. Obeng of any wrongdoing, all other investigations uncovered something wrong with the sale of the contaminated fuel.

In fact, through one of the investigations of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) it was learned that the two companies to which BOST sold the contaminated fuel were not licensed.

The sale was reported to have caused the country to lose some GHC7 million in revenue from selling to the two unlicensed companies, namely Movenpinaa and Zup Oil, established days before the sale.

Another committee that investigated the Movenpina-Zup Oil tainted fuel saga found the transaction to be criminal and the proceeds from it have not been paid into the state coffers to date.

In fact, the committee’s report indicates that Movenpina has not paid BOST for the 471,000 liters sold through Zup Oil Limited.

The committee also discovered that the thousands of liters of fuel that were housed in the NPA tanks could not be accounted for.

“At all times important to this transaction, Movenpinaa Energy and Zup Oil had not been licensed by the NPA to trade petroleum products in Ghana’s petroleum sector. Therefore, the sale of the contaminated fuel to these companies without a license was in violation of Articles 11 and 32 of the NPA Act (ACT 691) of 2005, making it illegal. “

There was yet another transaction by BOST, which involved the sale of 942,000 barrels of crude oil under some mysterious circumstances.

Following persistent posts by The Herald, Alfred Obeng’s management later said that BOST raised US $ 51.3 million ($ 51,386,100) from the sale to pay off some of the company’s debts, but industry analysts insisted on that the sale was not without reproach. The crude came from British Petroleum on credit months before the Kwame Awuah Darko administration ended.

A statement issued by BOST in this regard had indicated that in September 2017, when said crude was sold, the average price of the commodity on the world market was $ 56.55.

However, BOST offered a discount of $ 2 per barrel and sold the product at $ 54.55 per barrel.

BOST therefore rejected the reports, stating that at the time of sale, the price of crude on the world market was $ 62.

The statement was issued by BOST’s Media Relations Manager, Nana Akua Adubea Obeng, who said that the crude was sold to BB Energy as Free on Board (FOB).

According to her, $ 27.2 million ($ 27,208,016.13) of the money was used to pay off BOST’s debt to British Petroleum (BP).

Some funds were also found to have disappeared during Obeng’s rule, and the whereabouts of these funds said to be in the millions of dollars remains a mystery. But many BOST officials who are familiar with who received the illegal payments continue to speculate that someone will definitely face the law one day.

However, President Akufo-Addo views and holds Mr. Obeng Boateng in high regard.

Speaking in Bibiani, at the end of his 3-day North West Region tour, on Saturday September 26, 2020, he urged residents to vote for the former Managing Director of BOST, who serves as Executive Director of Approach Groups . of Companies.

The president also poked fun at the 2020 Democratic National Congress (NDC) presidential candidate John Dramani Mahama, saying that, over time, he had proven to be inconsistent as he changes his mind on issues of national development.

President Akufo-Addo stated that it is important for the credibility of the country’s public discourse that people in the country’s public space are seen as consistent in their views and advocacy. According to him, “When the bill to regulate the establishment of the National Health Insurance Plan was passed in 2003, I was in Parliament. I witnessed the NDC MPs, which included Mahama, kicking at him on his way out. of the camera “.

The President continued, “When President Kufuor successfully implemented it, Mahama and Mills said that they would implement a one-time National Health Insurance payment, but for eight years, eight full years, that promise never came true.

“Today, Mahama says that he will bring free primary health care if he is voted on. Can we trust him? Did he keep his promises for what reason should we believe that he would keep this? No, we cannot trust him.”

Referring to the cancellation of assignments for nursing teachers and trainees, he noted that students, and indeed all well-meaning Ghanaians, asked the former president to reinstate the assignments, all to no avail.

“We begged him to give them back, but he was adamant to the extent that he said if that meant losing the 2016 election, so be it. I gave him back his teacher training and nursing assignments, and now he’s switched languages ​​again. He says he will now continue to pay teacher and nurse allowances! Can we trust him? No way! President Akufo-Addo replied.

Again, on the Zongo Development Fund, which, in the president’s view, is bringing development to people in Zongo communities, he recounted how former President Mahama said the use of the Zongo Development Fund for the provision of ICT facilities and artificial turf fields represented an embezzlement, only for the former president to turn around and promise to build morgues and legalize the ‘okada’ for residents of Zongo communities.

Once again, on Free Senior High School policy, the president recalled how John Mahama stated that the NPP’s commitment to provide Free SHS was a mere political stunt and only lies, as the implementation of the policy can only happen in 20 years.

“Two years ago, he said that if he had GH ¢ 2 billion, he shouldn’t spend it all on Free SHS. Today, he says if they give him the mantle of leadership, he will continue to implement Free SHS. Can we trust him on this? ? No! ”President Akufo-Addo continued.

To John Mahama, he asked: “You have fought against Free Senior High School all this time, what has happened? What made you change your mind about Free Senior High? People of Ghana deserve to know, why have you changed your mind? on Free Senior High School Policy. It is inconsistent and a sea change, a trait not seen in Akufo-Addo. “

The president, therefore, asked the residents of Western North to continue to trust him, adding that “I will always be sincere with you and work for the unity, progress, prosperity and development of our nation.”

Given that the PNP has only three (3) seats out of the nine (9) seats in the North Western Region, I was hopeful that the 2020 elections will see a change in the fortunes of the PNP.

“I pray that this time massive changes will occur so that all of you are part of the elephant family. You will never regret being part of the PNP. I urge you to vote Four more for Nana,” he said, and appealed to Bibiani residents to vote en masse for the PNP parliamentary candidate, Alfred Obeng.