A former policy advisor at the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), Ishmael Ackah has bemoaned government’s decision to sign a more expensive deal in the wake of the brouhaha surrounding the AMERI deal.
Against “all the suggestions there have been, government still decided to go for the most expensive option,” he revealed.
A former policy advisor at the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), Mr Ackah believes all suggestions have been deliberated on enough to enable the government to choose a better deal – one that will not ultimately increase tariffs for citizens.
In fact, he says without any uncertainties that, “when you compare the current deal and what has been signed, this is about 45 per cent higher than” the previously proposed one by the erstwhile Mahama government.
For a country that “pays one of the highest in Africa. [power] is very expensive,” the lecturer cum energy economist admitted that the deal signed by government would only plummet the already too high tariffs. “Normally, when the cost of power generation goes up, it also leads to increases in our tariffs and people really struggle” he stated. In his laudable experience and knowledge in energy, Mr Ackah believes “that there’s a need to talk,” as has been done by the opposition on various platforms to try to make the government rescind its decision.
Ishameal Ackah reemphasized ACEP’s public interest stance on the issue and claimed it as his own opinion when he said: “I think that ACEP’s interest is to seek value for money for our people”.
About the Ameri deal
The then opposition NPP was critical of the deal, and the Energy Minister, Boakye Agarko, claimed that it had been overpriced by 150 million dollars.
The NPP MP for Andasi-Asokwa, K.T.Hammond had earlier filed a motion for a rescission of the deal.
The Minority however staged a walkout when the Speaker forwarded the motion to have the deal rescinded in Parliament.
The Africa & Middle East Resources Investment Group LLC (AMERI) has also stated that, its 2015 agreement with Ghana for the provision of a Power Plant in the heat of the country’s power crisis, offered the “best value for money” despite government findings that the $510 million deal was bloated by $150 million.
“AMERI acknowledges that the Government of Ghana has every right to assess all public contracts for value of money or quality of delivery. The company strongly believes the project delivered on both. An independent report by renowned auditors PriceWaterhouse Coopers (PwC) found that, out of 7 similar projects, the Ameri plant at Takoradi offered the best value for money,” the statement said.
Source: Ghanaweb.com
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Kofi and Aluta, if you want some us to join your 'insurgent", give us your full names, telephone numbers, email address in addition to residential post code and address. Anything short of these, I'll be compelled to brand the two of you 'JOKERS OF THE CENTURY' Who in his/her right sense will join a group without knowing its front liners/leaders. Please do the needful if you want us to take you serious.
@Aluta, thanks for your observation. They are all at it truly. We need a societal revolution. A revolution by the ordinary citizens, the forgotten, the disenchanted. We the ordinary folks should put aside our partisanship and show the powers from all political backgrounds that the country does not belong to them. A peaceful defiance as i suggest, it will send a clear message to those in power, their collaborators, their family members, potential power brokers, past power brokers that they cannot take us for granted. This needs to happen and this should be immediate and spontaneous. Folks, lets burry our differences as past and present powers dont give a damn. It surprises me that people struggle in their daily lifes see those in government plunder the resources but give them unflinching support because they come from the same tribe, town, school, church, mosque, temple and so on. Lets forget this partisanship and tackle this issue head on. No political party is there for the ordinary masses. FOLKS LETS RISE UP AGAINST THE LEADERS as as we are at it, lets drive out any known political leader from the uprising. Even the sychophantic journalists. Lets show them that the ordinary person is not happy with their antics. It will make the country better
THE SUPPORTERS OF NPP ARE SAYING THAT NDC CAME CHOP BEFORE LEAVING OFFICE AND SO NPP MUST ALSO COME TO CHOP. IF THIS IS THE KIND OF MENTALITY WE HAVE IN GHANA I ASURE YOU THAT GHANA WILL NOT MOVE ANYWHERE IN TERMS OF DEVELOPMENT. FURTHERMORE, SUCH A MENTALITY CAN CREATE AN AVENUE FOR CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE AND REVOLUTION LIKE WHAT HAPPENED IN ALGERIA, TUNISA AND EGYPT IN THE RECENT PAST. I WILL NOT BE SURPRISE WHERE SUCH STATE PLUNDERING BY POLITICIANS AND THEIR CRONIES COULD EVEN USHER IN MILITARY TAKEOVERS AND POSSIBLY PLUNGE THE COUNTRY INTO CAOS. PARTY FOOTSOLDIERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT POSTERITY WILL NOT JUDGE THE POLITICIANS ALONE BUT WILL HOLD PARTY FOOTSOLDIRES VERY MMUCH ACCOUNTABLE FOR ALL THEIR ACTIONS AND INACTIONS. A WORD TO THE WISE THE SAY IS ENOUGH OR IS IT IN THE NORTH