Energy Minister Dares Predecessor Over Sahara Contract

The Minister for Energy, Mr. Albert Kan- Dapaah has thrown a challenge to the former Minister of Energy, Dr. Frank Abu and histhen deputy, Simon Abingya to a debate on Ghana’s oil agreements with Nigeria covering both the NDC and NPP era's inorder to establish the truth or otherwise of the NPP government’s position on the matter.

He said a public debate will allow Ghanaians to know which of the two contracts “created loopholes for the country to be milked by certain local interests and their foreign collaborators.”

In an interview with the “Daily Graphic,” the Energy Minister explained that the Sahara Contract of the NPP was a complete departure from the VITOL deal under the NDC which saw VITOL buying oil from Nigeria and reselling it to Ghana. “VITOL sold the oil to Tema Oil Refinery, which was the original owner of the allocation at a cost made up of the profit margin, financing and lifting charges which worked up to 95 cents including a premium of 2 cents.”

Mr. Dapaah said under the Sahara contract, the credit facility was worked out directly with Nigeria, thus avoiding a middleman. Sahara only lifts the oil to Ghana, he added.

The NDC caucus in parliament earlier in the week agued that the Sahara contract “clearly undermines the sovereignty of Ghanaians and Ghana’s parliament should therefore abrogate it.” They also called on the Minister of Energy to resign.

Mr. Dapaah has however stated that he has no intentions of resigning because the Sahara contract is the best for Ghana.