Egyapa Mercer’s approval as Deputy Energy Minister suspended

• Posted on June 8, 2021June 8, 2021
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Parliament’s Appointment Committee has suspended the approval of Andrew Egyapa Mercer as a Deputy Energy Minister.

A member of the Committee who disclosed this on condition of anonymity said Mr. Mercer’s approval was suspended due to some unfavorable answers to questions posed by members of the Committee.

He however failed to indicate which specific answers from Mr. Mercer did not sit well with the Committee.

Four deputy minister-nominees were vetted by the committee on Monday, June 7.

But the Committee after a closed-door meeting approved only three out of the four, excluding Mr. Mercer.

The three who were approved are Rev. Ntim Fodjour, George Mireku Duker and Tina Mensah for Education, Lands and Natural Resources, and Health respectively.

What Mercer said during his vetting 

The Member of Parliament for Sekondi had among other things denied claims of conflict of interest against him in the PDS deal during his vetting.

Mr. Mercer, who was a Director and Secretary of TGN Energy Solution, one of the companies that formed PDS, said his role in the company did not affect his work as a Member of Parliament when the deal was brought to the House for consideration.

He also said he was never found in a conflict of interest position.

“My understanding of interest which is really a legal construct is one that is in the nature of a property that is transferable either tangible or intangible, but with respect to duty or relationship with TGN Energy Solution is in the nature of fiduciary which is separate from interest.”

“…So that is why I say I don’t have any interest in TGN Energy Solution. I never received benefits from TGN Energy solution even though I was entitled to them.”

-Citi