Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa who is the opposition National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) spokesperson on Foreign Affairs in Parliament says it will require a lot of effort to repair Ghana image after the Power Distribution Service (PDS) fiasco.
The North Tongu Member of Parliament says the termination of the PDS concession agreement and the whole brouhaha surrounding the deal has dented Ghana's image.
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said it “will require a long and hard effort to repair†the country’s reputation after the fiasco with the PDS.
READ ALSO:Â Official: Gov't gives full details of why PDS deal has been terminated
Ablakwa's observation follows government’s suspension and subsequent termination of the agreement with PDS, which required the private company to manage the distribution of power in Ghana.
The legislature in a Facebook post said: "The damage the PDS debacle has done to Ghana's image in international circles will require a long and hard effort to repair.
As we await the official response of the Americans on the future of the Compact; we must resolve to fix our broken system of governance and recognize that we cannot command the respect we expect from the comity of nations if we cannot acquit ourselves with integrity when they extend a helping hand.
Really sad that the year of return has fast become the year of corruption."
The concession agreement is part of a deal (Compact II Program) with the US that would see Ghana benefit from some $500million for allowing private sector partnership in the energy sector to boost efficiency.
But according to the government, PDS’ demand guarantee cannot be verified.
Al-Koot, the Qatari company which supposedly issued the said demand guarantee denies doing so; raising concerns of fraud.
Government has now terminated the concession agreement altogether in the hopes of finding a new concessionaire “within the limited time†before the so-called Compact II Program expires.
READ ALSO: Ghanaians will know findings of PDS deal in a few days time - Energy Minister
The US partners in the Compact II Program, Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) haven’t spoken since the termination of the PDS deal.