Lawyer for former Power Minister Dr Kwabena Donkor, K.T. Hammond, has defended the decision by Ghanaian technical officials to travel to Istanbul, Turkey, to inspect equipment intended for the controversial Aksa Energy power project.
Mr Hammond said the trip was a routine technical requirement and was necessary to determine whether the equipment being acquired could deliver the generation capacity Ghana urgently needed during the country’s power crisis.
According to him, Ghana could not simply accept major power-generation equipment without first sending technical experts to physically assess its condition, quality and suitability.
“The procedure would always be to get the technical people to go on site and inspect and be sure about the sanctity and integrity of the equipment you are receiving,” he told JoyNews.
He explained that the inspection was undertaken by technical representatives from relevant institutions within Ghana’s power sector, including the Volta River Authority (VRA).
Mr Hammond said the officials were required to establish that the equipment met the necessary technical standards before it was shipped to Ghana.
His defence comes amid renewed scrutiny of the Aksa Energy deal following the conviction in the United States of former Tema Oil Refinery Managing Director Asante Kwaku Berko over a bribery scheme involving Ghanaian officials.
Berko was convicted by a US federal jury over allegations that he paid more than US$1 million in bribes to Ghanaian officials in connection with the development and financing of a power plant.
Dr Donkor, who was Power Minister when the transaction was negotiated, has denied receiving money from Berko or having any dealings with him.
Mr Hammond stressed that the Istanbul trip should not be interpreted as evidence of political involvement, arguing that it was part of the institutional process for securing power-generation equipment.
He said Ghana was seeking approximately 370 megawatts of additional generation capacity at a time when the country was battling severe electricity shortages.
“ You bring some plant, and they look at it, and they say, well, it’s anthracnose, or whatever you’re looking for, and they can’t do the job. So what do we do?” he asked.
The lawyer said the urgency created by the Dumsor crisis made it even more important for technical officials to verify the equipment before it was brought into the country.
He further maintained that Dr Donkor should not be blamed for any alleged misconduct by individuals who may have acted independently or used his name without his authorisation.
“If anybody goes on the frolic of their own and makes some scandalous and criminal demands on his behalf, he did not provide that,” he said.
Dr Donkor served as Power Minister during the period the Aksa arrangement was negotiated and resigned from government on December 31, 2015.
He has consistently denied meeting Berko, demanding money from him or receiving any payment in connection with the transaction.
The Aksa deal has come under fresh scrutiny following Berko’s conviction, with Ghanaian authorities examining the local dimension of the case.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor has disclosed that it assisted US authorities with investigations into the case, while the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has also commenced investigations into the Ghanaian aspect, including efforts to trace potential assets or proceeds linked to suspected criminal conduct.
For Mr Hammond, however, the Istanbul inspection was simply part of the technical process Ghana undertook to secure additional and reliable power during one of the country’s most difficult periods of electricity shortages.
