There’s Nothing Wrong With AMERI Deal – Chief Justice

It has emerged that the Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo, has cleared the erstwhile Mahama administration of any wrongdoing regarding the contractual agreement it entered into in the AMERI power deal.

In a legal opinion to President Akufo-Addo, Justice Sophia Akuffo is reported to have concurred with the terms of the contract, saying the previous government acted in good faith considering the prevailing circumstances.

Speaking on Metro TV on Thursday, former Deputy Communications Minister, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, said he is aware of a letter from the Chief Justice’s office to the president absolving officials of the previous administration of any financial impropriety in the AMERI deal.

“After all the hue and cry about the AMERI deal by the NPP they are yet to prosecute any member of the previous administration upon assuming office.

“They criticized President Mahama of corruption and selling off the country to a foreign company, but they are yet to produce single evidence.

“I have seen a letter from the Chief Justice to President Akufo-Addo which states that, the then Power Minister, Kwabena Donkor did nothing wrong in signing the contract, considering the situation at the time,” Felix Kwakye Ofosu disclosed.

The ruling NPP, then in opposition, criticized the NDC government for poorly negotiating the $510 million deal signed in 2015 and promised a renegotiation if elected into office.

In 2017, President Akufo-Addo upon assumption of office constituted a 17-member committee chaired by Philip Addison and tasked it to study the deal, revealing that the deal was inflated by $150 million by the Mahama administration.

The deal was for the supply of gas turbines to Ghana, which were to provide additional power to the national grid to ease the biting load shedding exercise that plagued the country at the time.

The committee has recommended to the government to recall owners of the Dubai-based company for renegotiation and that if the company refused to honour the invitation for re-negotiation, the government should renounce the agreement on grounds of fraud