The man who led the committee that investigated the controversial Ameri Power deal, Philip Addison, has disclosed that per diem for their trip to Dubai was paid by government.
According to him, Ameri Power upon whose request they traveled to Dubai, only took care of their plane tickets and hotel bills.
“Our per diem was given to us here, by the Minister of Energy,” he added. Three of the 17-member committee went to Dubai in a bid to renegotiate the agreement which the Akufo-Addo government believes was bloated by about $150 million.
But the Minority in Parliament rebuked the committee for accepting Ameri’s hospitality offer claiming it could have influenced the final report.
They also accused Mr Addison’s committee of traveling on first class ticket, and lodging at a plush hotel in Dubai at the expense of Ameri. They also alleged the committee members were given per diem by Ameri.
But Mr. Addison on Metro TV’s Good Evening Ghana on Tuesday, said such was not the case.
He further explained that, Ameri’s offer did not influence them in any way. “The delegation that went to Dubai was a government delegation of three. We were supposed to be four, but the Chief Executive of VRA who was supposed to be part of it couldn’t attend because of pressing issues. The payment of these tickets had nothing to do with us. I didn’t go and negotiate for ticket payments.
The way it’s being said it’s like I went to Ameri and requested for money to buy tickets. I was sitting in my office and I got the ticket and I got the visa on my phone. So I didn’t go and procure this thing,” he explained.
Minority to petition CHRAJ over Ameri-funded Dubai trip
Meanwhile, the Minority in Parliament has threatened to petition the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) over the matter. The Minority Spokesperson on Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson in a Citi News interview described the committee’s acceptance of the hospitality offer as “embarrassing, unethical and shameful.”
“I am going to take this matter to CHRAJ to probe the committee. I am going to petition CHRAJ for them to probe this company,” Mr. Ato Forson stated.
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