Ameri welcomes Amewu’s ‘enhanced’ agreement

Business News of Tuesday, 11 December 2018

Source: citinewsroom.com

2018-12-11

Mines Ameri PorFile photo

Ameri Energy has demonstrated its willingness to work with the government of Ghana on the new agreement it has brought forth.

CEO of Ameri Energy, Mustafa Ahmed said in a statement:

“We are always happy to address any misconceptions about our work and we’ve engaged in a constructive dialogue with the government and all stakeholders.

“Now, having found a solution, we’re grateful not only for the government’s directness but for their renewed faith in us as a company to bring reliable and affordable power to Ghanaians.”

Former Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko laid a revised AMERI agreement before Parliament for approval after an executive order.

The action generated huge controversy with the Minority in Parliament arguing that the deal was economically disadvantageous for the country as Ghana would be paying more under the agreement than it initially settled under the John Mahama government.

The current Energy Minister, John Peter Amewu has since re-laid a new agreement christened “renegotiated and enhanced terms”.

Meanwhile, Ameri says it has now trained more than 80 percent of local staff in the maintenance and operation of the plant.

How calls for renegotiation started

The John Mahama administration in 2015 signed a contract with Africa and Middle East Resources Investment Group’s (AMERI Energy) to rent the 300MW of emergency power generator from AMERI at the peak of the country’s power crisis.

The power agreement with the UAE-based AMERI Energy cost 510 million dollars.

But according to the government, it found that the country had been shortchanged by AMERI as they presented an overpriced budget, and were overpaid by $150 million.

The Akufo-Addo thus commenced a renegotiation process to ensure value for money, but the Minority in Parliament kicked against it.

This has led to the replacement of the agreement with a new one laid before the House by the new Energy Minister, John Peter Amewu.

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