The Managing Director of the Bulk Oil Storage and Transport (BOST) Company, Alfred Obeng Boateng, has been sacked by President Nana Akufo-Addo.
He is to be replaced by George Mensah Okley, according to a termination letter sighted by Citi News.
[contextly_sidebar id=”q90oomkFxvXmuJgRQJIN21e3YhwjoUUh”]Alfred Obeng Boateng is one of three heads of state agencies who have been booted out.
The Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) CEO, Gifty Klenam, has also been sacked, along with the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) CEO, Paul Asare Ansah.
The government has not any given reason for the BOST MD’s removal or the dismissal of the other two CEOs.
The president is expected to fire more top officials of some state agencies between now and July.
Citi News sources also indicate a shake-up in the army and police hierarchy is imminent.
Turbulence at BOST
The former BOST MD’s tenure has been plagued by high-profile scandals.
Notable among them is the contaminated fuel saga in June 2017.
Citi News first reported that Ghana was likely to lose about GHc 7 million in revenue following attempts by BOST to sell contaminated fuel to some oil marketing companies.
Five million litres of contaminated fuel was sold to two unlicensed companies; Movenpinaa and Zup Oil, which were allegedly set up days before the sale.
The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) confirmed that the two companies were also not licensed.
Following Citi News reports, there were calls for the Alfred Obeng Boateng to be interdicted.
The Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko subsequently set up an investigative committee to look into the matter.
He later cleared BOST and its Managing Director of wrongdoing citing a Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) and National Security report.
Battle with COPEC
More recently, the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC), accused Alfred Obeng Boateng of financial malfeasance.
COPEC, in April, claimed Ghana lost about GHc23 million in revenue when 1.8 million barrels of crude oil was sold at a discount to an unlicensed company.
Alfred Obeng Boateng slammed the accusations, describing them as baseless.
Nonetheless, COPEC petitioned the Special Prosecutor to investigate the allegations.
The Executive Director of COPEC, Duncan Amoah said he was ready to assist the Special Prosecutor’s investigations with evidence.
His assurance followed the Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu, asking him to be ready to furnish his office with further details of the allegations made against BOST.
There has been no other word from the Special Prosecutor since.
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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citinewsroom.com/Ghana