Group wants Amidu to probe GNPC boss

• Posted on February 27, 2019
• by Ellsamwise King
• Comment

A group known as the Strategic Energy Forum (SEF) has petitioned the Special Prosecutor to investigate alleged procurement breaches and conflict of interest against the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana National Petroleum Cooperation (GNPC), Dr. K.K. Sarpong.

The group wants President Nana Akufo-Addo to direct Dr. K.K Sarpong “to step aside for proper investigations” by the Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu.

Peter Mensah, a member of the SEF, told Citi News, “We want the Special Prosecutor to step into this and investigate and let the institution be on the proper corporate governance system. That is what we want.”

Dr. K. K. Sarpong has been accused of trying to assume the procurement function of the Corporation’s Chief Finance Officer.

The Minority Spokesperson on Energy, Adam Mutawakilu, first complained that the CEO had violated the principles of good corporate governance.

An internal memo from the National Oil Company’s Chief Executive’s Secretariat, dated 4th February, 2019 and addressed to the Chief Finance Officer, directed the latter to hand over the procurement function of the office to the Chief Executive.

The Board Chairman of GNPC, Freddie Blay, subsequently demanded an apology and the immediate withdrawal of a letter Dr K K Sarpong wrote to the Chief Finance Officer of the firm over the recruitment of a procurement manager.

The exchanges between Freddie Blay and Dr. Sarpong have been described as a turf war, as the two seem not to agree with each other.

The Institute for Energy Security had called on President Akufo-Addo to call the Board Chairman and the Chief Executive to order and order investigations into the matter.

The civil society body believes this friction undermines the smooth operations of the national oil company.