No probe into Sahara deal -JAK

PRESIDENT J. A. Kufuor has made it clear that the government has no intention of setting up a probe into the Sahara contract.

He explained that the contract is genuine and there is no indication of malfeasance in the transaction.

President Kufuor stated the government’s position on the contract when he responded to questions from newsmen at the residency in Kumasi yesterday.
The Sahara deal has come under criticisms from a section of the media and the National Democratic Congress, (NDC) caucus in Parliament.
At a news conference in Accra recently the NDC Caucus called on the government to set up a probe into what has become known as the Sahara Affair.
President Kufuor said the Sahara company was chosen because of its viability and reputation. He said the performance of Sahara in executing the contract so far is good for the country.

He said Ghana could not have depended on Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) partly because it was indebted to the tune of ?2.3 trillion as at December 2000.
He said at the time the government asked Sahara to lift oil for Ghana, the national reserve was in a very precarious situation.
He said it was his timely visit to Nigeria to negotiate for the oil that saved the country.

On the national reconciliation commission, he expressed the hope that when set up, it will help to unite Ghanaians.
Touching on the murder of the three judges and a soldier, in the early days of the 31st December Revolution, President Kufuor said a state investigation has been set up and is working to ensure that justice and rule of the law prevail.

Responding to questions about his foreign trips, he said the trips were partly intended to introduce his team to the development partners and to market Ghana.
He said when he assumed office there was a lot of tension between Ghana and his immediate neighbours, which needed to be dealt with so the country’s borders could be opened 24 hours to promote trade.
President Kufuor said chasing wrongdoers is not his government’s priority. Rather, he said, the government’s focus is to solve the economic problems the country is facing.
Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Minister of Finance, said 45 per cent of the country’s revenue was used to finance local debts, leaving very little for recurrent expenditure and development.