The government of Ghana through the Minister for Energy, Mr. John Peter Amewu, has relayed a renegotiated agreement between the government and the Africa and Middle East Resources Investment Group Llc (AMERI Energy) in Parliament.
Presenting the renegotiated agreement on the floor of Parliament, the Energy Minister withdrew the previous AMERI deal.
Mr. Amewu pointed out that the Renegotiated and Enhanced Terms of the Build, Own, Operate and Transfer agreement of AMERI is to ensure installation of 10 GE TM2500+ aero derivative gas turbines, operate, maintain, transfer and provide background controversies.
Mr Amewu stated that the renegotiated agreement is an improvement of the the previous facility agreement.
The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament and Member of Parliament for Bekwai, Mr. Joseph Osei Owusu, referred the facility agreement to the Parliamentry Select Committee on Mines and Energy.
Commenting on the ruling of the First Deputy Speaker pursuant to Order 98 of the Standing Orders of Parliament, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance and Member of Parliament for New Juaben South, Dr. Assibey Yeboah called for a joint committee on the renegotiated agreement.
The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, thereafter, referred the AMERI agreement to the Finance, and Mines and Energy Committee for consideration and presentation of the Committees’ report.
The old AMERI deal: Controversies and dismissal
The Africa Middle East Resources Investment (AMERI) is an energy agreement facility signed under the previous administration, in the sum of US$510 million.
It was heavily criticised by the then Minority in Parliament for having been inflated by US$150 million.
On coming into office, the current administration, under the former Minister for Energy, Mr. Boakye Agyarko, withdrew the agreement and relaid a new deal.
Under that agreement, a new company, Mytilineous International Trading Company was suppose to take over the management of the AMERI power plants for 15 years.
However, the renegotiated agreement under Mr. Agyarko was shot down by the Minority in Parliament, stating that the agreement had some elements of conflict of interest.
The said power agreement then led to the dismissal of Mr. Agyarko, and his replacement with Mr. Peter Amewu, as the substantive Energy Minister.
Source: GhanaJustice/S.Ayisi
