Ranking Member on Parliament’s Energy Committee, John Abdulai Jinapor, has accused President Akufo-Addo of canceling the power purchase agreement with Trafigura’s Ghana Power Generation Company (GPGC) as a form of personal retribution.
Jinapor claims that the decision to terminate the contract was motivated by a desire to send a message to a specific individual who had allegedly crossed the President.
He argues that, ironically, the Akufo-Addo administration then entered into a similar agreement with a different company, suggesting a questionable reversal in policy.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Top Story on Thursday, August 22, he said “I am telling you that this termination was because of a family feud between some family members of the president on one hand and the other.
“When we assume office, you will get to know the real truth and the rationale behind the termination. They did not terminate the contract because they had Ghana’s interest at heart.
It is because they wanted to teach somebody a lesson. They extended their own family problem into governance and terminated this contract and today you and I [are paying for it],” he said.
Mr. Jinapor conveyed his frustration, highlighting that the new National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration will inherit a complex array of problems.
This sentiment followed the recent acquisition of the Regina House in London by Trafigura, a consequence of Ghana’s failure to settle a $134 million debt.
Trafigura has been attempting for four years to collect this payment from the Ghanaian government after an abrupt termination of a power purchase agreement.
The ongoing legal struggle culminated in a U.S. court issuing an additional judgment that tacked on $111.4 million in interest, thus increasing the total debt owed by Ghana.