The maverick Assin Central Member of Parliament, Mr Kennedy Ohene Agyapong has alleged that there is a cartel in the contaminated fuel saga involving the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST) Company.
According to him, this is not the first time that fuel has accidentally been contaminated at BOST, and that over the years the practice has been happening and anytime that happens, some members of the cartel get the opportunity to buy the fuel, process and sell it in the open market.
In a radio interview on Accra based Oman FM Thursday morning, Mr Agyapong alleged that, this time around, the new Managing Director (MD), Mr Alfred Obeng Boateng who came into office to meet the five million litres contaminated fuel denied the cartel the opportunity to buy the said fuel, hence they subsequently ganged up, and clandestinely sponsored a campaign to get rid of him as the MD.
The accidental contamination was said to have happened on January 18, 2017 and the staff involved have since been sanctioned. Mr Agyapong therefore cautioned the Minister of Energy, Mr Boakye Agyarko to ensure that investigations into the deal was thoroughly done so as to ensure clarity.
According to Mr Agyapong, he has information that two members of the cartel [names withheld] approached Mr Obeng for him to sell the contaminated fuel to them. They allegedly told him that if he reversed the sale to Movenpiina, they were going to give him $1 million but he refused.
They [cartel members] allegedly said they could add a chemical to the fuel to enable them sell the product in the open market.
Mr Agyapong alleged that because they did not get the product, they are trumpeting that the product was already in the market.
He questioned how they know that the product was in the open market, if that was not their modus operandi.
He also alleged that a staff at BOST who owns a petroleum company and had also wanted an opportunity to buy the contaminated fuel also alleged that he was going to ensure that they all go down when ZUPOIL moved in to transport the fuel.
Mr Agyapong said he was also aware that some members from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC) were also behind the campaign to get rid of Mr Obeng as MD.
He put out a list of companies which bought contaminated fuel from BOST in 2015 and 2016 which also included the BOST local union. "Is the BOST union also a registered company," he quipped.
Already, Mr Obeng and BOST in a statement on Monday evening said they felt the issue was coming up because Mr Obeng was cleaning the rot of his predecessor.
BOST highlighted a number of issues which included;
1. Diverting GHC40.5 million of company funds to a fictitious account currently under investigation.
2. Awarding an overpriced contract of $39 million to construct the BOST head office complex, (suspended by the new MD).
3. Awarding an overpriced contract of $19 million to construct a pipeline from APD to Akosombo (suspended by the new MD)
4. Paid an amount of $1.8 million as a retainer fee for a company sourcing funds for BOST projects. Though the company could not source funds for BOST, an additional amount of $89,000 was paid as success fee on 27th September 2016. This is under investigation.
5. BOST is challenging ACEP and its likes to show or reveal the identity of the fuel stations that have the contaminated product. The statement said the Minority in Parliament's assertion that the MD of BOST should be interdicted is baseless and unfounded.
It is a political plan to divert the new MD's attention from dealing with the rot of his predecessor, Mr. Kingsley Kwame Awuah- Darko which has left BOST with a debt close to $300,000,000. No amount of propaganda against Mr. Alfred Obeng will change his vision for BOST, the statement added.
Source: Daily Graphic
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Rule of Law, Zero Tolerance of Corruption, Probity and Accountability, Development in Freedom, We have the men to deliver., Kukurudu, Eeshi. Ghanaians are suffering from massive corruption. Why should we suffer in our own motherland? "Over the last ten years they've had more than 10 billion dollars of donor assitance. What have they done with it? Nothing"-- Akufo-Addo GTV talking Point program in the Mid 1990's
hmmm eeii Ghana so WHEN IS NDC GOING TO STOP THIS THEIR CHEAP PROPAGANDA ALWAYS LYING, THROWING DUST INTO OUR EYES WHERE DID WE GO WRONG AS A NATION NDC WILL REMAIN IN OPPOSITION FOR EVER AND EVER
Even in opposition NDC are corrupt. They must be in jail and I trust Nana to do it. Going to bribe the CEO with $1 Million after deliberately contaminating the fuel for your selfish gain. God will punish you all and you will rot in jail.
Yes Cartel including the disappointing A-plus
Until people are jailed for wicked and devilish acts like these, Ghana will not go anywhere. it doesn't matter whether NPP or NDC in power. They form a click and milk the nation. They are now fighting the new MD because he is not allowing their wish. God punish you all. Mr Obeng is staying and I hope the investigation will put people in jail. Well done Mr Ken Agyapong, as usual you are standing up for the TRUTH.
This is not a prima facie case at BOST. There is no smoke without fire. Sealing holes to catch a rat is better. The NDC is making lot of noise because their loopholes of making millions of cedis are gradually getting sealed. Further,the energy minister should not be part of the committee he set up to investigate. One cannot be a player and referee simultaneously.
BOST union wasn't registered so the new MD and (the NPP that's making us believe they are in to do things better) should also sell to an unregistered company? if my hands are cleaned and am correcting rots created by my predecessor, no one can accuse me esp in a way that I can't answer pertinent issues. why won't I reject $1 million if I can sell the entire commodity to myself and get more than that? Ken and others can make bad looks good but many Ghanaians who are not partisans will sieve the issue and make their minds come 2020
@Ofori.***barred word***. If you are hauled before a court of law ,placed under oath,can you testify to the whole world with proof that A-Plus is lifting oil for BOST? Cowardly hyena hiding behind anonymity to talk through your a-n-us.
You and your bunch of "holier than thou" NPP tieves will always blame others for wrongs!!!! Your time go come!!!
Ken can scream all he wants but the truth still stands. Look I am NPP too and the party must make sure that we put men of integrity in key positions. We have to ensure that we do not follow the corrupt path of the Mahama administration. Did the guy award the contract to those companies and was due process followed? Who owns the said companies? and were the companies properly registered at the time of the award of the contract? BOST should answer these three simple questions and lets stop the noise. Didn't we all hear that A plus ( a failed musician) was lifting oil for BOST? Nepotism and cronism will kill this country. Let's be serious for once in Ghana!