US$2.5m bribe: Probe ex-TOR MD – GII

The Ghana Integrity Initiative wants the government to probe former MD of Tema Oil Refinery Mr Asante Berko for his alleged involvement in a $2.5m bribery scandal.

The GII, in a letter, said an investigation will do the country’s image some good in the international community.

The anti-corruption body also wants the findings of such a probe made public.

“To ensure, in the spirit of transparency and accountability, that government will publish the findings of the investigations to assist public officials and politicians to recognise and desist from similar incidences of corruption (i.e. if anything untoward is found) in the future,” GII added in the open letter.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Wednesday, 15 April 2020, received the resignation from office of Mr Berko.

Mr Berko submitted his resignation letter dated Wednesday, 15 April 2020 to the President.

President Akufo-Addo duly notified the Board of Directors of TOR of this development, a statement from the Director of Communication at the Presidency, Mr Eugene Arhin said, adding: “The President wished him well in his future endeavours”.

The former banker was accused by the Securities and Exchange Commission of the United States of America of having arranged a $2.5 million bribe for some Ghanaian government officials and MPs in connection with helping a Turkish firm secure a power purchase agreement deal in Ghana.

He, however, denied the allegation.

The former Goldman Sachs banker, according the US’ SEC, allegedly made the payments in 2015 and 2016.

But, Mr Berko, in a statement, said the claims against him were false.

“While it is true that the SEC has just this week issued such proceedings against me, the allegations that government officials and members of Parliament were bribed by me are completely false.”