The account in question is the Chief of Staff’s ‘Sundry Account’ which the BOST boss regularly lodged money into and reportedly cashed by the Office of the Chief of Staff under President John Mahama.

Even though the amount involved has not yet been disclosed by EOCO, Daily Guide learnt that it runs into several millions of Ghana cedis.

The ‘invitation’ extended to Mr Awuah Darko, who is current cooling off in the United States – where he has been for some months following the National Democratic Congress (NDC) humiliating defeat in last December’s general election – was issued on Tuesday when his name reportedly popped up concerning the withdrawals.

Contaminated Fuel Sale

The BOST has been in the news lately following the release of large quantities of contaminated fuel (dirty oil) to private companies for distribution by the current Managing Director, Alfred Obeng Boateng.

The BOST action sparked heated political debate when the minority NDC called for Mr. Obeng Boateng’s suspension, but the majority New Patriotic Party (NPP) hit back, exposing the BOST under Mahama’s NDC of being behind the contamination of fuel in the country when it was in power.

The majority revealed that there was evidence to show that about 12 million litres of the same contaminated fuel were sold to about 36 unlicensed entities and individuals in 2016 during the tenure of Mr. Awuah-Darko under the Mahama administration.

Huge Transfers

According to the majority, there is evidence to show how the Awuah-Darko-led management transferred over GH¢40 million to the presidency under John Mahama in a very bizarre manner.

It is unclear into which accounts the huge payments were made, but DAILY GUIDE understands about GH¢40,500,000 was allegedly transferred secretly from BOST account between August 2015 and early January this year.

The NPP claimed the Awuah-Darko administration led a corrupt administration, siphoning money to the Flagstaff House – the seat of government – for unexplained purposes.

Flagstaff House

The NPP said at a press conference that there were massive rotten deals under the former BOST MP, with the Office of then President John Mahama and his Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, allegedly siphoning huge amounts of money between GH¢2.5 million and GH¢3.5 million at the end of every two weeks from 2015 under the guise of security transfers, amounting to about GH¢40.5 million.

According to documents from the majority, the particulars for the transactions indicated “transfer of funds accrued from security fees.”

Dubious Transfers

Starting from August 28, 2015, BOST transferred GH¢3.5 million; released GH¢3 million on October 2, the same year and another GH¢3 million on November 12, 2015 while on December 23 the same year, GH¢20 million was transferred.

On February 05, March 15, April 15 and May 13 – all in 2016 – GH¢2.5 million on each occasion was transferred by BOST while on June 09, July 15 and August 24 in the same year, GH¢3 million each was transferred from BOST.

Later in September 29 and November 17, in 2016, GH¢3.5 million each was transferred by BOST while on January 03, 2017 – when it was left with just three days for the Mahama-led government to leave office – BOST transferred GH¢3 million.

Unlicensed Entities

BOST, during the tenure of Mr. Awuah-Darko, sold contaminated fuel to about 36 unlicensed entities and individuals and records showed that between March 05, 2015 and August 04, 2015, the previous BOST management sold 8,190,000 litres of contaminated fuel to 24 companies that were all unlicensed, as well as another 12,400.000 litres sold to other 25 unlicensed companies between January 16, 2016 and November 30, 2016.

DAILY GUIDE has learnt that the price per litre sold by BOST under the then NDC government was lower than what was sold to the private entities under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.

BNI Action

The Minister for Energy, Boakye Agyarko, has already cleared Alfred Obeng Boateng, BOST Managing Director, of any wrongdoing in the recent sale of some 5 million litres of contaminated fuel.

The minister said BOST never erred in transacting that business with energy firm, Movenpiina.

According to Mr Agyarko, investigations so far conducted by the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), the National Security and the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) on the contaminated products had established that the fuel had not spilled onto the retail market for sale to vehicle owners.

Mr Agyarko told the media on Tuesday that “on the basis of previous practice, there was no wrongdoing at BOST on the sale of the 5 million liters of contaminated products.”

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Source: Daily Guide

The post EOCO chases Awuah Darko over GHC40m BOST cash appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Majority at a press conference today [Friday], said the controversy at BOST was only a symptom of deep-seated rot under the leadership of the immediate past BOST Managing Director, Kwame Awuah Darko.

[contextly_sidebar id=”o7lga21SvInSo15nsdIVX3s5gNoVBNTn”]They alleged that between 2014 and 2015, there was a bi-monthly transfer of between GHc 2.5 to GHc3.5 million to the Chief of Staff’s office from BOST, ostensibly from the sale of contaminated fuel.

The acting chairman of the Energy Committee of Parliament, Emmanuel Akwasi Gyamfi, outlined a number of allegations of malfeasance and fuel contamination under the Mahama administration.

“In 2014, under the NDC, a similar contamination occurred. The quantity involved was 4.6 million litres. In 2015, still under the NDC, another contamination occurred. The quantity involved was 9.9 million litres. 2016 witnessed the mother of all contaminations. The quantity involved amounted to 12 million litres.”

Contaminated fuel was detected in January 2017

The Majority also said the contaminated fuel under the current BOST management, was detected in January shortly after the change in government.

“The 5 million litres of contaminated fuel was detected on January 18, 2017, exactly 11 days after the swearing in of President Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo. Mr. Alfred Obeng [the current MD of BOST] had not at that time assumed office to take over, and Mr. Awuah Darko was still effectively the CEO of BOST.”

The Minority had called for the immediate interdiction of the Mr. Obeng and accused him of doing business with unlicensed companies – Zup Oil and Movenpiina, a claim which was later confirmed by the National Petroleum Authority (NPA).

Mr. Obeng was also accused by the minority of causing financial loss to the state the tune of GHc 14.25 million.

After a Citi News report highlighted the controversial sale at BOST, the company’s management said calls for the interdiction of Mr. Obeng were a distraction from the financial rot overseen by Mr. Awuah-Darko.

BOST staff subsequently kicked against calls for the interdiction of Mr. Obeng and held a press conference to dismiss the allegations against the embattled MD, claiming the issue over contaminated fuel was being overblown.

The employees, in a petition addressed to the Minister of Energy, Chief of Staff, and the Minister of National Security also argued that calls for the dismissal of their MD were uncalled for since the sale of off-spec products was not new to the operations of BOST.

The BOST staff also claimed that the company received requests from dealers of off-spec products in 2014, 2015 and 2016 and said they saw nothing untoward with those deals.

Meanwhile Citi News sighted a document indicated that some 38 companies without an NPA license, purchased 20, 590,000 litres of contaminated fuel in 2015 and 2016, under the leadership of the immediate past BOST MD.

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By: Duke Mensah Opoku/Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Majority demands full audit of BOST ‘rot’ under Awuah-Darko appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The figure however runs contrary to the earlier statement by the CEO of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Moses Asaga that it will cost the country about 300 million dollars for the reconfiguration.

“Irrespective of the kind of crude we process down to the 10 ppm standard, we are looking at an investment between a 100 and 120 million dollars. It is very important that this has come at a time that government has done a strategic repositioning of TOR in the downstream petroleum deregulated petroleum sector,” he stated.

Moses Asaga’s figures came during his initial reaction to a report released by ACEP and its partners, Public Eye that Ghana, together with other seven African countries import ‘dirty diesel’ as they contained diesel with sulphur contents almost 300 times compared to those sold in Europe.

The development, the report further warns puts the lives of thousands of individuals at risk due to the inhalation of fumes from vehicles that use those diesel samples.

Even though many have raised doubts over TOR’s ability to undertake such refineries due to the huge financial challenges confronting it as a result of accumulated debts, its CEO, Mr. Awuah Darko maintains the restructuring undertaken by government puts the company in a position to contain any significant costs that the process will require.

“The strategic repositioning is going to enable TOR independently raise close to 110 and 115 million dollars via the offshore mooring facilities that have been granted to the refinery. Based on government’s policy decision and action, we are very well positioned and very well positioned for the challenges in providing Ghanaians with quality fuels,” Mr. Awuah Darko further stressed.

Meanwhile the NPA has justified its decision to review downwards the national sulphur specification for diesel from the maximum 3000 parts per million to 500 parts per million, effective January 2017.

The Authority will however allow suppliers to import diesel at 10 ppm or lower.

According to the CEO, Moses Asaga, the decision was to avert a shutdown of Tema Oil Refinery (TOR).

“TOR’s 500 ppm can then be blended to come to the required standard because if we close the refinery, it means there will be loss of jobs and chaos, he stated.

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By: Pius Amihere Eduku/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana

The post Refining 10ppm diesel to cost TOR $120m appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.