New Ameri deal laid before Parliament

The Minister of Energy, John Peter Amewu,

has laid before Parliament the renegotiated AMERI deal, which he says, has enhanced terms over the original agreement signed by the NDC administration.

According to the Minister, the country will save millions of dollars under the new contract agreed between the Government of Ghana and Africa and Middle East Resources Investment (AMERI) Group.

This new deal will be the second renegotiation by the government after the first renegotiation was seriously criticized by civil society organisations.

The NDC government in 2015 signed a contract with Africa and Middle East Resources Investment Group (AMERI) Energy for the installation of ten GE TM 2500 aero derivative gas turbine of 250MW of emergency power.

The AMERI Group was to operate, maintain, transfer and provide support services for the power plant.

The deal, which cost the country $510 million was necessitated by the country’s energy crisis at the time.

Members of the current government at the time had argued that the previous administration had caused the state to overpay for the power deal by some $150 million.

The NPP government upon coming to office subsequently presented the Novation Agreement to Parliament to kick-start a process to replace the original agreement under previous administration.

The Novation Agreement sent to Parliament earlier will also be withdrawn under the new arrangement.

Source: GNA