Fueltrade Ltd has refuted IMANI Africa’s claims
it is owned by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana National
Petroleum Company (GNPC) Dr. K.K. Sarpong.
IMANI had said that Dr. Sarpong had ties with Fueltrade, a partner
agency of Aker Energy, claiming a conflict of interest against him.
This is against the backdrop of Aker Energy’s discovery of oil in
commercial quantities at Cape Three Point after it took over from Hess
Energy.
IMANI Africa has accused Aker Energy of trying to short-changing Ghana in its petroleum agreement with Ghana for oil production.
Vice President of IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil indicated that his outfit
had picked intelligence of a potential conflict of interest and was
seeking further explanations.
But in a statement, Fueltrade Ltd noted that “its shareholders are
Messrs Chris Chinebuah and Dzifa French Cudjoe, who have the full legal
and beneficial interest in the company.”
“Fueltrade categorically states that it is not legally or beneficially
owned by Dr. K. K. Sarpong and/or his family,” the statement added.
The company held that IMANI did not “undertake any verification because
they set out to act and speak with malice and/or reckless disregard for
the truth, in order to achieve a collateral purpose.”
In view of this, the company says it has instructed its lawyers “to make a demand for a retraction and apology from” from IMANI.
“If no such show of remorse materialises, we will take all steps to
protect our business and hard-earned reputation,” the statement
concluded.
K.K. Sarpong also released a statement of his own saying the allegations levelled against him were untrue.
He said the involvement of Fueltrade in the Aker agreement was sealed even before he was appointed.
“Fueltrade’s 2% stake in the Deepwater Tano Cape Three Points Block was
acquired in 2014 long before my appointment in 2017 as Chief Executive
of GNPC.”
He also asked for an apology from IMANI over the claims.
Find below the full statement
STATEMENT BY FUELTRADE LTD IN RESPECT OF DEFAMATORY STATEMENTS MADE ABOUT IT BY IMANI AFRICA AND KOFI BENTIL
On 25 April 2019, Imani Africa organised a press conference in respect
of developments around the Deepwater Tano Cape Three Points Block
(DWT/CTP).
Speaking through its Vice-President, Kofi Bentil, Imani Africa asserted
that Dr. K. K. Sarpong and his family were the owners of Fueltrade Ltd.
Imani Africa and Kofi Bentil advanced this claim appears in support of
wrongdoing they are alleging in respect of the DWT/CPT project. In
particular, Imani and Kofi Bentil stated that it was ethically wrong for
Fueltrade Ltd, a company allegedly owned by Dr. K. K. Sarpong and his
family, to be a partner on the DWT/CTP project.
The clear but unfortunate intention of Imani Africa and Kofi Bentil was
to drag Fueltrade Ltd into its accusations of involvement in unethical
business practices.
Fueltrade Ltd wishes to state that its shareholders are Messrs Chris
Chinebuah and Dzifa French Cudjoe, who have the full legal and
beneficial interest in the company. Fueltrade categorically states that
it is not legally or beneficially owned by Dr. K. K. Sarpong and/or his
family.
Imani Africa and Kofi Bentil had ample opportunity, before the press
conference, to verify the ownership of Fueltrade Ltd. They could have
verified ownership by engaging directly with Fueltrade Ltd, or by
conducting a search into the easily accessible records at the
Registrar-General’s Department.
Fueltrade Ltd is convinced that Imani Africa and Kofi Bentil did not
undertake any verification because they set out to act and speak with
malice and/or reckless disregard for the truth, in order to achieve a
collateral purpose.
In pronouncing our company as unethical and as being involved in the
unethical business (based on untruths) and for ulterior motives, Imani
Africa and Kofi Bentil have caused embarrassment and reputational damage
to us. We have instructed our lawyers to make a demand for a retraction
and apology from them. If no such show of remorse materialises, we will
take all steps to protect our business and hard-earned reputation.
Signed by
Chris Chinebuah, CEO