The Minority in Parliament has threatened to drag Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko before the house to assist in deliberations concerning the alleged conspiracy by some politicians to blow up the country’s oil and gas installations.

This they say will be their next obvious step if the Energy Minister refuses to provide evidence that will lead to the arrest and subsequent prosecution of the purported group plotting the said act.

In a statement signed by former Deputy Minister for Power, John Abdulai Jinapor, Mr. Agyarko at the recently held Offshore Technology Conference in Texas, allegedly told some top oil executives that some disgruntled politicians have been inciting the youth in the country in an attempt to cause disaffection for operators of the oilfield, similar to what happens in other troubled jurisdictions like Nigeria.

Describing the alleged statement as “reckless, unpatriotic, self-destructive and treacherous,” the Minority argue that it has the potential of scaring away investors and negatively impact the oil and gas sector, hence the need for the Minister to come clear of the issue.

They have therefore given the Energy Minister up to the close of week, to either back his claims with evidence or retract the said statement, otherwise face their wrath.

“Mr. Agyarko’s statement is to the effect that some politicians are plotting to blow up oil facilities in the oil enclaves of the country. Surprisingly, the minister failed then to substantiate his claims and has still not provided a scintilla of evidence to back his assertion,” the statement read.

The statement further read, “If the minister fails to provide the necessary evidence by close of week, we demand that National Security takes the appropriate steps to invite the minister for interrogation. We expect our institutions charged with the duty to protect life and property including our natural resources to be up and doing especially in the face of such grave threats.

The minority hereby serves notice that should the minister and the National Security Apparatus fail to discharge their moral and legal obligations in this matter, we will trigger processes in parliament to compel the minister assist the house protect our oil and gas resources as is expected of a responsible minority and any parliament worth its salt,”

The statement also lauded efforts by the previous governments to ensure productive investment in the oil and gas sector for the benefit of the entire citizenry.

“Since the discovery of oil in commercial quantities, successive government have continued to harness the human resource of the country to ensure productive investment in the oil and gas sector. To this end, the Atta Mills/Mahama led administration saw to the successful production of the first oil from the jubilee fields, construction of three FPSOs, as well as establishing an ultra-modern Gas Processing Plant with the aim of adding value to our oil. We therefore call on the minister to as a matter of urgency substantiate and cause the arrest and prosecution of those politicians he knows to be conspiring to blow up our oil and gas installations.”

Find full statement below;

MINORITY DEMANDS EVIDENCE AND ACTION ON ENERGY MINISTER'S CLAIMS

The attention of the Minority Caucus in Parliament has been drawn to a statement attributed to the Minister of Energy, Mr. Boakye Agyarko - a statement which has received wide media coverage.

Mr. Agyarko's statement is to the effect that some politicians are plotting to blow up oil facilities in the oil enclave of the Country.

The Minister further states categorically that some disgruntled politicians have been inciting the youth in attempts to cause disaffection for the operators of the oilfields, similar to what happens in other troubled jurisdictions.

The Energy Minister is reported to have made these alarming and destabilising remarks on the international stage in Houston, Texas to top executive of oil companies on the sidelines of the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC).

Surprisingly, the Minister failed then to substantiate his claims and has still not provided a scintilla of evidence to back his assertion.  

The Minority in Parliament considers the Minister's statement as having the obvious potential to scare away investors and negatively impact the Oil and Gas sector.

If Mr. Agyarko's allegations remain unsubstantiated, it will go down in history as the most reckless, unpatriotic, self-destructive and treacherous statement ever made by a Cabinet Minister against Ghana's economic progress and national interest.

So far it does appear that Mr. Agyarko's remarks are fantastically unnationalistc, spurious and outrageous. It is a tragedy that the man who the taxpayer pays to protect and promote our energy sector can engage in such abhorrent, disgraceful and "own-goal" sabotage of our country’s well-being.

Since the discovery of oil in commercial quantities, successive governments have continued to harness the human resource of the country to ensure productive investments in the Oil and Gas sector for the benefit of the entire citizenry.

To this end, the Atta Mills/John Mahama led administration saw to the successful production of first oil from the Jubilee fields, construction of three FPSOs, as well as establishing an ultra-modern Gas Processing Plant with the aim of adding value to our oil.

We therefore call on the Minister to as a matter of urgency substantiate and cause the arrest and prosecution of those politicians he knows to be conspiring to blow up our Oil and Gas installations.

If the Minister fails to provide the necessary evidence by close of week, we demand that National Security takes the appropriate steps to invite the Minister for interrogation. We expect our institutions charged with the duty to protect life and property including our natural resources to be up and doing especially in the face of such grave threats. This is certainly not a matter to be ignored or swept under the carpet.

The Minority hereby serves notice that should the Minister and the National Security Apparatus fail to discharge their moral and legal obligations in this matter, we will trigger processes in Parliament to compel the Minister to assist the House protect our Oil and Gas resources as is expected of a responsible Minority and any Parliament worth it's salt.

Signed,
John Abdulai Jinapor
Former Deputy Minister for Power