The Ministry of Energy has responded to some spurious and unfounded allegations levelled against Energy Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh by one Kevin Taylor to the effect that, the Energy Minister and the NPP 2024 campaign stands to benefit some $150m in a certain contract involving Tullow, Kosmos, GNPC and Petro SA.
In a Press Release signed by Kofi Abrefa Afena, Communications Specialist/Press Aide to the Minister, he indicated that although it was clear from the said clip that the said Kevin Taylor, consistent with his discredited effusions, is even unable to provide details on the nature of the contract, except to churn out lies to besmirch hard won reputations; the Ministry decides to draw the minds of Ghanaians to the Ministry’s role in the overall subject matter of contracting in the Ghanaian upstream petroleum space.
The Ministry of Energy, he averred, is not responsible for the signing and approval of contracts in Ghana’s upstream petroleum space and therefore matters of signing and approval of contracts involving Tullow and its Partners mentioned will certainly not require the approval of the Ministry.
“Just a little research could have avoided this embarrassment,” he said.
According to him, Kevin Taylor must tell whether he is aware of any instance where in previous administrations, the Minister responsible for Petroleum signed and/or approved the Billions of Dollars of contracts awarded by Tullow in the development of the Jubilee and TEN Fields and if that was not the case, why would he assert same against the current Energy Minister.
“If the considerations of personal gain attributed to Dr. Prempeh and also funding the NPP 2024 campaign alluded to by the said Kevin Taylor as the basis for this particular contract is anything substantial to go by, then that logic fails ab-initio, because Mr. Yvon Asafu-Adjaye, who the said Kevin Taylor mentions to be involved in the said deal has stronger ties to the NDC than the NPP. He is reputed to be the son of one Nana Asafu-Adjaye who for many years served as the Managing Director of GNPC under the Mills/Mahama administration.”
“…It certainly cannot be the suggestion of the said Kevin Taylor that, the Energy Minister is in collusion with persons including the said Yvon Asafu-Adjaye who is strongly related to the NDC with the aim of funding the NPP 2024 campaign.”
He said, the contracting in the Upstream sector goes through a rigorous and thorough technical and commercial assessment and evaluation process by the Operator before recommendations are made to the other Partners who in turn conduct their own independent assessments and evaluations prior to approving contracts.
That process, according to him is not subject to Government control.
“Even a request by government in furtherance of its policy to broaden the scope of Ghanaian participation in the upstream space does not influence the rigorous technical and commercial assessment and evaluation undertaken by the Operator and its Partners in the upstream contracting space. This was the case during the Mills/ Mahama administration when Billions of Dollars in contracts were awarded in the development of Jubilee/Ten and Sankofa Fields by Tullow and its Partners and Eni respectively and has remained the case under the Akufo-Addo administration. Any suggestion to the contrary will be nothing but mischief calculated to tarnish the reputation of people in political authority and same ought to be dismissed with the contempt that it deserves. It will be inconceivable for government to dictate award of contracts by Private Companies especially International Oil Companies.”
He went ahead to explain that a cursory evaluation by any objective mind, will certainly expose the total lack of substance in the claims by the said Kevin Taylor and that it nothing different from his proven modus operandi to always cause disaffection for government officials and the entire NPP government in satisfaction of his pay masters, more- so, given the proximity to the 2024 elections.
“On the plain reputational onslaught the said Kevin Taylor mounts on Dr. Prempeh, specifically impugning criminality on him; the Minister’s legal team will resort to the necessary legal remedy in due course. The general public, on the back of the above facts, is respectfully entreated to ignore these false claims and treat them with the total contempt they deserve,” he said.
