Edward Bawa, Member of Parliament for Bongo and a member of the Energy Committee, has strongly criticized Attorney General Godfred Dame for allegedly misleading the public regarding the recent International Arbitration Tribunal ruling on the ENI/Vitol lawsuit against Ghana and the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC).
The arbitration, which involved claims by ENI and Vitol amounting to $7 billion, concluded with the Tribunal dismissing the claimants’ monetary damages. The claims had been reduced to $915 million plus interest by the end of the proceedings.
On July 8, Attorney General Dame issued a statement describing the ruling as a “major victory” for Ghana. However, Edward Bawa, in an interview monitored by Accra daily post on The Big Issue on Channel One TV, accused the AG of distorting the facts and compromising the integrity of his office.
Bawa’s Critique
Edward Bawa argued that Godfred Dame’s interpretation of the ruling was misleading. He emphasized that the Tribunal’s decision to dismiss the $7 billion claim was based on the fact that unitisation – the combining of separate oil fields into one for efficient resource management – had not yet occurred. Therefore, the Tribunal ruled that ENI and Vitol’s request for damages was premature but left the door open for future claims should unitisation proceed.
“So, for the AG to have issued that statement and said that we have won, he zeroed down on the $7 billion. If you look at ENI’s request to the Tribunal, it said, should government go ahead to unitise, we were going to be making a loss of about $7 billion. And so, if government insists on going to unitise, then government should pay us $7 billion, this was a request by ENI. In the Tribunal’s ruling, they said we’re dismissing this $7 billion request, because the unitisation has actually not occurred,” Bawa explained.
He further contended that the AG’s statement failed to acknowledge the Tribunal’s finding that the Ghanaian government had breached provisions, thereby casting doubt on the Attorney General’s ethics and damaging the reputation of his office.
Implications for the Attorney General’s Office
Bawa’s comments highlight growing concerns about the transparency and accuracy of official statements from the Attorney General’s office. “I think the Attorney General’s posture just goes to again darken his recent past reputation,” Bawa remarked, referencing past ethical concerns surrounding Dame’s conduct.
The critique underscores the need for clarity and honesty in communications from public officials, especially in cases involving significant financial and legal implications for the country. The debate over the arbitration ruling and its interpretation continues to be a contentious issue, reflecting broader concerns about governance and accountability in Ghana.
As the public and stakeholders await further developments, the focus remains on ensuring that the government’s actions and statements align with the facts and uphold the principles of transparency and integrity.