Ashiaman MP Under Fire

THE FORMER Managing Director of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), Dr. K. K. Sarpong, has descended heavily on the NDC Member of Parliament for Ashiaman, Alfred Kwame Agbesi, describing him as a shallow-minded person who lacks the aptitude to address issues on TOR.

Mr. Agbesi, a member of the reconstituted TOR board, had asked that Dr. Sarpong be arrested and prosecuted for running the refinery down.

The Ashaiman MP said recent calls for the resignation of the Energy Minister, his deputy, and the acting Managing Director of the refinery were unfair since the non-functioning of TOR was not their making. According to him, the problems of TOR must be blamed on the inefficiency of the former government, and particularly the inaction of the former Managing Director, Dr. Sarpong.

Speaking on Peace FM’s ‘Kokrokoo’ programme on Thursday, Dr. Sarpong expressed his disappointment at the spurious allegations leveled against him by the MP.

“I am surprised that Hon. , who is a lawyer and an MP, would make those remarks…I wonder where he attended his law school; whether the Ghana School of Law or Ashaiman Law school, because if he had attended a proper law school, he would not be doing this. He has not been categorical on what I have exactly done. If a company makes loses, does it mean the MD looted the money”? He asked angrily.

A clearly livid Dr. Sarpong said Mr. Agbesi could not identify any crimes for which he (Dr. Sarpong) should be prosecuted, the Ashiaman MP went ahead to call for his arrest and prosecution, describing the MP as, “Someone who lacks understanding of the operations of TOR and needs a bit of education there”.

The former TOR boss alluded to the global economic meltdown that folded up the operations of some multinational companies and corporations such as Chrysler, General Motors, Royal Bank of Scotland, HSBC, and pointed out that such was the challenging circumstances under which TOR operated.
“…all these companies had crisis, so it tells you that something unusual happened in 2008; therefore there is a need to sit (down) and have a sober reflection on what happened”, he stated.

Dr. Sarpong said he had given adequate explanations to issues raised by the Government’s Transition Team and also to his successor as contained in his handing-over notes.

“I’m sourcing for jobs internationally… but now I feel very embarrassed to even go and stand before students and deliver…if he does not know corporate governance, he should go to GIMPA, they give fundamental courses there or State Enterprises Commission, he will learn about corporate governance…how can I “steal” $437million and deposit it into my private account? Why does he not name the private account I deposited the money in? Why doesn’t he also indicate where”, he fumed.

According to him, in international bank transactions, transferring even 10,000 pounds to an account in the UK would warrant some form of enquiries, “Let alone to talk of $437m…he should spend time and serve his constituency”, he said.

Dr. Sarpong lamented that in spite of his service to the nation, a national daily (Ghanaian Times carried Mr. Agesi’s call) would go to the extent of vilifying him by playing to the gallery and whipping up public sentiments against him.

“I feel very sad that I’ve given six years of my executive work to TOR, and then the last bit, if problems arise they want to hang me…I work with the Board (TOR)…major policies were developed…in the implementation of the Board’s policies if I erred, that is where you can fault me, but if I implemented what the Board wanted me to do, what is the big deal about it? Then you have to bring the whole Board to come and answer to whatever happened, he stated.

Seething with rage, Dr. Sarpong hung up, but not before he gave his parting shot: “This is the last interview Kwame, with (all due) respect, don’t ever call me and I am not going to grant any more interviews, thank you”. Peace Fm
Source: Daily Guide