The Chairman of Mines and Energy Committee of Parliament, Mr. Samuel Atta Akyea has downplayed claims by the minority group that the government intends to relocate the Ameri Plant to Kumasi at the cost of $34 million.
Mr. John Jinapor, Ranking Member on the Committee, had alleged at a media briefing in Parliament on Wednesday that the Akufo-Addo government had signed a deal with Mytilineos, a leading global industrial and energy company, to operate the Ameri Plant on behalf of the state.
He claimed this was revealed after a meeting of the Committee on Mines and Energy with agencies under the Ministry of Energy last weekend.
Mr. Jinapor who is also the Member of Parliament for Yapei-Kusawgu, asked government to halt the deal as “the economy is currently facing a huge crisis”.
According to him, the transaction is an international one which requires parliamentary approval.
He accused government of resorting to clandestine means to give contract to its cronies at the time that the economy is dire distress.
However, Mines and Energy Committee Chairman Mr. Atta Akyea who is also the MP for Abuakwa South rebutted the claims by the Ranking Member, describing it fanciful.
“If the $34 million is a projection, let us see what is involved. We can only speak to it when we are properly briefed on the matter. I am very surprised he is putting out this information. When the Ministry brings the programme, we, as a Committee, will also scrutinize.
“As to whether we should give it (plant) to VRA or be taken up north to serve the needs of the people there, it is a policy decision of the Minister for Energy. We need to trust him with some intelligence.
“The Mytilineos company has not come up for discussion at the Committee and so I don’t know why he is saying that the contract has been given to it to run the Ameri Plant,” Mr. Atta Akyea stressed.
With his experience in Government, the Abuakwa South MP said he was confident that the Minister for Energy will not shortchange the country for a “very bad deal.”
“It is good for us, as a committee, to know everything about it before commentaries are run on it.…. we are trying to do propaganda and that is not the way to go. It has not come up at the committee’s level for discussion”, Mr. Atta Akyea maintained.
“It is also an international agreement which has to come to Parliament for approval. The facts are not concrete. If somebody has given him (John Jinapor) a hint that the plant will be given to that company it will definitely come out”, he added.
