Asante Berko case: Parliament failed in its oversight role – Samuel Bekoe

Samuel Bekoe, the Executive Director of the Centre for Extractives and Development Africa, has lambasted Parliament for failing to fulfil its oversight duties in the procurement of the Kpong power plant during Ghana's power crisis. He claims that the project's circumstances, including allegations of payments to secure approval and selection, reveal weaknesses in Ghana's procurement and governance systems.

In an interview with Channel One TV, Bekoe pointed out that the use of emergency procurement procedures during the power crisis allowed critical checks and balances to be circumvented. He emphasized that the power shortage at the time led to a situation where normal governance processes were relaxed due to urgency. Bekoe criticized Parliament for not playing a robust gatekeeping role and stressed the need for strengthened oversight mechanisms to prevent emergencies from being used to bypass established procurement safeguards.

He also questioned Ghana's heavy reliance on emergency procurement, particularly when the country possesses data on future electricity demand. Bekoe argued that authorities should not resort to emergency procurement until generating, distributing, or equipment shortages are evident. He highlighted that such arrangements often occurred under certificates of urgency, leaving little room for stakeholder scrutiny and transparency.

The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has launched an investigation into the Ghanaian aspect of the Asante Berko bribery case, including efforts to trace funds and assets linked to the alleged bribery scheme.