AKSA bribery scandal: NPP demands public inquiry, tracing of beneficiaries

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) is demanding an independent public inquiry into the controversial "Holy Rain" scandal, requesting a thorough investigation into the Aksa Energy power project's payments, beneficiaries, intermediaries and official decisions during Ghana's power crisis. This call comes after Asante Kwaku Berko, a former Goldman Sachs employee, was convicted in the United States for facilitating bribe payments to Ghanaian officials from 2014 to 2016 as part of an emergency power agreement with Turkish energy company Aksa Energy.

NPP MP Nana Adjei Baffour Awuah, speaking at a press conference in Accra, stated that the inquiry is necessary to establish the identities and official roles of those involved in the Aksa project and its approvals in 2015. The inquiry, he explained, aims not only to identify and punish alleged culprits but also to provide an opportunity for innocent individuals to clear their names and to understand the recurring issues that have plagued the power sector for years.

Nana Awuah emphasized that the NPP's call for the inquiry does not prejudge the guilt of anyone who has not been convicted by a competent court.