Fourty-eight hours after being fingered as a prime suspect in the BOST ‘dirty fuel’ saga, Edwina Akufo-Addo, has publicly refuted the allegations, insisting she has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the dealings she was cited in.
Daughter of the country’s first gentleman, President Akufo-Addo, was accused by a communications team member of the National Democratic Congress of having being involved in the BOST scandal that has rocked the nation over some weeks now.
According to Sammy Gyamfi, there were rumours suggesting that one of Akufo-Addo’s daughters , Edwina to be specific, was involved “deeply” in the scandal hence her father’s decision to keep total silence over the issue.
“I’m hearing rumours that one of the Akufo-Addo daughters, Edwina is deeply involved in the matter so is it the reason he is silent? This BOST issue can’t be swept under the matter looking at its gargantuan nature. This is not a matter the president should be silent about”, Mr. Gyamfi stated on Accra based Asempa FM on Friday.
In a statement dated 9th July and signed by Edwina Akufo-Addo, she denied having any knowledge of the falsehood being peddled against her. According to her, she has never been involved with the two major petroleum firms named in the scandal; Movenpinaa Energy and Zupoil nor has she ever done any business with the two.
She also maintained that she, under no circumstance has transacted any business deals with BOST or its Managing Director; Alfred Obeng Boateng,
“I have no relationship with any of the two companies, Movenpinaa Energy and Zupoil that have been mentioned and have admitted to having been involved in the transaction of the said off-spec product.
I have done NO BUSINESS with BOST or its MD, Alfred Obeng Boateng and can therefore not be in a position to be described as “deeply involved” in this transaction whatsoever with BOST. If I may stress, I have NEVER had any interaction with any of the two companies involved or any personalities connected with these two companies”, the statement read.
The sale of some 5 million litres of contaminated fuel at BOST has been a subject of public discussion in recent weeks with pressure mounting on the Managing Director of BOST, Alfred Obeng to resign.
Mr. Alfred Obeng has rejected calls of resignation insisting he had no hand in the sale of the contaminated fuel to the said private companies.
He was later exonerated by the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) and cleared of any wrongdoing.
The report of the BNI has however been rejected by Civil Society Organisations (CSO), Occupy Ghana and IMANI which have both called on the President to institute a fresh probe into the matter.
Sammy Gyamfi alleged that the President’s silence may communicate his ‘partial involvement’ in the controversial saga.
Below is the full statement:
9th July, 2017
RE: AKUFO-ADDO’S DAUGHTER FINGERED IN BOST OIL SAGA
My attention has been drawn to a publication on Adomonline and Ghanaweb, “Akufo-Addo’s daughter fingered in BOST oil saga.” In the said publication, a member of the National Democratic Congress, Sammy Gyamfi, is said to have described me, Edwina Akufo-Addo, on Asempa FM, as rumoured to be “deeply involved” in the contaminated fuel issue involving the Bulk Oil Storage & Distribution (BOST) entity.
He is quoted as having said on radio last Friday, “I am hearing rumours that one of Akufo-Addo’s daughters, Edwina, is deeply involved in the matter so is it the reason why he is silent? This BOST issue can’t be swept under the [carpet], looking at its gargantuan nature.”
“I wish to state categorically that this allegation is false. I have no such involvement in this matter. I have no relationship with any of the two companies, Movenpinaa Energy and Zupoil, that have been mentioned and have admitted to having been involved in the transaction of the said off-spec product”.
I have done NO BUSINESS with BOST or its MD, Alfred Obeng Boateng, and can, therefore, not be in a position to be described as “deeply involved” in this transaction or any other transaction whatsoever with BOST.
If I may stress, I have NEVER had any interaction with any of the two companies involved or any personalities connected with these two companies.
I have no business in the petroleum sector, either upstream or downstream, and have no commercial interest with BOST, Movenpiina Energy or Zupoil.
I am fully aware that this fabrication is not about me. It is said that “when the debate is lost, slander becomes the tool of the loser”. This is, yet, another example of the NDC trying to tarnish the image of my father, the President of the Republic”.
“They have, since 2008, tried without success, and one would have hoped that they would have learnt their lessons by sticking to the facts and telling the truth, rather than propagating falsehoods”.
I demand an unconditional and immediate retraction of story, and I hope this brings full clarity on this matter as far as the “rumours” involving my name is concerned.
Edwina Akufo-Addo
