President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has, on Wednesday, 15th April 2020, received the resignation from office of Mr. Asante Berko as Managing Director of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR).
A statement by Communications Director at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin, said this was after he submitted his resignation letter, dated 15th April 2020, to the President.
“President Akufo-Addo has accepted Mr. Asante Berko’s resignation, and duly notified the Board of Directors of TOR of this development. The President wished him well in his future endeavours.”
Mr Asante Berko’s resignation comes after he was on Tuesday accused by the Securities and Exchange Commission in the USA for arranging bribes for a Turkish energy company to funnel the money to a Ghana-based intermediary, which then paid the local officials.
“Goldman Sachs fully cooperated with the SEC’s investigation and as stated by the SEC in its press release, the firm’s compliance personnel took appropriate steps to prevent the firm from participating in the transaction,” company spokeswoman Nicole Sharp said.
However, in response, the TOR boss said he is innocent of the charges against him.
“My attention has been drawn to reportage in the local and international news media, as well as documents in social media on the morning of 14th April 2020. The essence of the story is that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in the United States has issued civil proceedings against me, alleging that I bribed government officials and members of Parliament in Ghana to enable a Turkish IPP to secure a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).
“While it is true that the SEC has just this week issued such proceedings against me, the allegations that government officials and members of Parliament were bribed by me, are completely false. I am therefore compelled to set the record straight,” he said in a statement.
He said he was never involved with the local firm cited by the American authorities.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM