General News of Tuesday, 24 January 2017

Source: starrfmonline.com

Boakye Agyarko’s approval in limbo

Boakye Agyarko Boakye Agyarko

The approval of Boakye Agyarko as Ghana’s next Energy Minister is in limbo as a cloud of perjury surrounds his testimony before the Appointments Committee.

Speaking on the Morning Starr Tuesday, the Majority Chief Whip Kwesi Ameyaw Cheremeh, noted the former vice president of the Bank of New York needs to furnish the Committee with information over certain claims he made about the purchase of three Floating Storage and Regasification Units (FSRU).

According to Mr. Agyarko, he was quoting from a committee’s report he chanced on at the Ministry. He promised to produce the report when he was pressed by the Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu.

Speaking to show host, Nii Arday Clegg, the MP for Sunyani said the burden of proof lies on the nominee, else it may have to take the Plenary to decide his fate in the coming days.

“Hon. Agyarko made certain allusions and the Chairman directed that he furnishes the Committee with a report,” Mr. Cheremeh told Starr 103.5 FM. “Hon. Agyarko’s approval is based on the provision of that document.”
He added: “That notwithstanding, Hon. Agyarko did his best.”

Agyarko’s Profile

Boakye Agyarko is 60 years old. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Political Science from the University of Ghana, Legon; an Advanced Professional Certificate in Banking from the American Institute of Banking and an MBA in Financial Economics from the Pace University, New York.

He held a Vice President position at the Bank of New York, in New York, and in over 20 years at the Bank, he worked at senior levels in various departments, including Operations Management and Analysis, Product Development, Global Network Managements, International Banking and Asset Management and the Y2K Management Group.

His responsibilities in these various departments and positions included international trade finance, loan syndications, asset securitization and structured finance.

He is a member of the American Economic Association, and an Associate of the American Institute of Bankers.

He served as the National Campaign Manager of the New Patriotic Party for the 2012 Elections, and served as Policy Advisor for the President’s 2016 electioneering campaign. He is a Consultant to Capital Economics and Investments, a start-up economic analysis and investments group in Accra, Ghana.