Cartel behind 'deliberate' fuel contamination at BOST wants MD out - Ken Agyapong
The maverick Assin Central Member of Parliament, Mr Kennedy Ohene Agyapong has alleged that there is a cartel in the contaminated fuel saga involving the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST) Company.
According to him, this is not the first time that fuel has accidentally been contaminated at BOST, and that over the years the practice has been happening and anytime that happens, some members of the cartel get the opportunity to buy the fuel, process and sell it in the open market.
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In a radio interview on Accra based Oman FM Thursday morning, Mr Agyapong alleged that, this time around, the new Managing Director (MD), Mr Alfred Obeng Boateng who came into office to meet the five million litres contaminated fuel denied the cartel the opportunity to buy the said fuel, hence they subsequently ganged up, and clandestinely sponsored a campaign to get rid of him as the MD.
The accidental contamination was said to have happened on January 18, 2017 and the staff involved have since been sanctioned.
Mr Agyapong therefore cautioned the Minister of Energy, Mr Boakye Agyarko to ensure that investigations into the deal was thoroughly done so as to ensure clarity.
According to Mr Agyapong, he has information that two members of the cartel [names withheld] approached Mr Obeng for him to sell the contaminated fuel to them. They allegedly told him that if he reversed the sale to Movenpiina, they were going to give him $1 million but he refused.
They [cartel members] allegedly said they could add a chemical to the fuel to enable them sell the product in the open market.
Mr Agyapong alleged that because they did not get the product, they are trumpeting that the product was already in the market.
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He questioned how they know that the product was in the open market, if that was not their modus operandi.
He also alleged that a staff at BOST who owns a petroleum company and had also wanted an opportunity to buy the contaminated fuel also alleged that he was going to ensure that they all go down when ZUPOIL moved in to transport the fuel.
Mr Agyapong said he was also aware that some members from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC) were also behind the campaign to get rid of Mr Obeng as MD.
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He put out a list of companies which bought contaminated fuel from BOST in 2015 and 2016 which also included the BOST local union.
"Is the BOST union also a registered company," he quipped.
Already, Mr Obeng and BOST in a statement on Monday evening said they felt the issue was coming up because Mr Obeng was cleaning the rot of his predecessor.
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BOST highlighted a number of issues which included;
1. Diverting GHC40.5 million of company funds to a fictitious account currently under investigation.
2. Awarding an overpriced contract of $39 million to construct the BOST head office complex, (suspended by the new MD).
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3. Awarding an overpriced contract of $19 million to construct a pipeline from APD to Akosombo (suspended by the new MD)
4. Paid an amount of $1.8 million as a retainer fee for a company sourcing funds for BOST projects. Though the company could not source funds for BOST, an additional amount of $89,000 was paid as success fee on 27th September 2016. This is under investigation.
5. BOST is challenging ACEP and its likes to show or reveal the identity of the fuel stations that have the contaminated product.
The statement said the Minority in Parliament's assertion that the MD of BOST should be interdicted is baseless and unfounded. It is a political plan to divert the new MD's attention from dealing with the rot of his predecessor, Mr. Kingsley Kwame Awuah- Darko which has left BOST with a debt close to $300,000,000.
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No amount of propaganda against Mr. Alfred Obeng will change his vision for BOST, the statement added.
Writer's email: enoch.frimpong@graphic.com.gh