The issues between the Finance Minister and Sunon Asogli continue to get murkier as the Independent Power Producer (IPP) has outrightly denied the minister’s claim of agreeing to sign the IPP Debt Restructuring deal.
Finance Minister, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam in a press briefing in Washington DC as part of the IMF/World Bank meetings over the weekend announced that, after back and forth, Sunon Asogli has agreed to sign onto the terms of the government’s IPP Debt Restructuring programme.
“I was informed only yesterday that I was told that they are ready to sign the settlement agreement. And so we’ve instructed ECG to go ahead and sign. That should help in normally our relationship so we can move on. By signing that agreement will also mean that the third IPP is also done as far as the restructuring is concerned,” the Finance Minister announced.
But in a latest twist, Sunon Asogli has debunked the Minister’s claim insisting that at no point has the IPP agreed to the terms of the deal.
Spokesperson for Sunon Asogli, Dr. Elikplim Kwabla Apetorgbor maintains emphatically that the IPP has not agreed to the terms of the agreement. He added that they are still in negotiations with the government hence describing the minister’s announcement as dishonest.
“In the first place, let me say that it is absolutely dishonesty on the part of our Finance Minister. I’m not aware when we have agreed to sign restructuring terms with anyone. We are still negotiating. No one goes into a negotiation to lose,” the Spokesperson for Sunon Asogli maintained.
He further condemned the posture of the Finance Minister in the entire negotiation process. Dr. Apetorgbor revealed that the minister has been entrenched in his position throughout the process with what he describes as a “very haughty and condescending character.”
He advised that such posture does not befit a public official of his caliber and hence must soften his stance.
“There has been so much dishonesty in the whole process on his part. He has maintained a very haughty and condescending character in the whole process which is not good for a public officer, particularly in the office of the Finance Minister,” he noted.
The spokesperson further noted, “It is always a win-win affair and he has always maintained a position that if we will not accept this I’m not going to pay you. That is a very disappointing character of a public office holder like him.”
