JOEL JULIEN
Prof Ken Julien’s role in the signing of a new energy sector deal between T&T and Ghana is being questioned by former attorney general Garvin Nicholas.
Nicholas has questioned whether Julien’s involvement should be deemed as “curious, convenient or concerning.”
He is now calling for clarification on whether the new energy agreement had anything to do with a September 2011 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by Julien for a major energy project with Ghana.
On September 13, 2011, Ghana’s energy minister Dr Joe Oterg-Adjei announced the signing of the MOU.
“The government of Ghana signed an MOU between the government of Ghana and the Volta Aluminium Company Limited (VALCO) on one side and Kenesjay of Trinidad and Tobago and Sural CA of Venezuela on the other side for conduct of feasibility studies towards the establishment of a downstream aluminium project in Tema, Ghana,” Oterg-Adjei
stated then.
Kenesjay Systems Ltd was founded by Julien.
Nicholas referred to the signing of this MOU as he questioned Julien’s role in the signing of energy sector deals between this country and Ghana earlier this week.
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley visited Ghana last week with Julien as part of his entourage.
“It has also been reported that on Monday 9, 2016, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago signed two MOUs with the government of Ghana. It was further reported that following the luncheon which took place after the signing, the Trinidad and Tobago delegation which includes one Prof Ken Julien, toured the Tema Oil Refinery and Valco where PM Rowley addressed the management and workers at the refinery and Valco,” Nicholas stated.
“Further, in an interview with Vivian Kai Lokko, business editor of Citi 97.3 fm of Ghana, PM Rowley stated that the MOUs identified areas of mutual interest including industrial production of aluminium,” Nicholas stated.
T&T has expressed interest in building Ghana’s next gas processing plant.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Citi Business News’ Vivian Kai Lokko, Rowley signalled this country’s readiness to improve Ghana’s oil and gas sector.
“As long as there is gas to be processed, we will certainly be interested and involved, but as to the level and the nature, that will be determined by Ghana. But we certainly have an interest like that in other plants that we build, that the national gas company in Trinidad and Tobago would want to be involved in that,” Rowley stated in that interview.
“Ghana certainly has to pay attention to the education system to ensure that when the opportunity comes for jobs in the oil and gas sector, those opportunities will come to nationals who are prepared to seize them, otherwise you will find the economics dictating for companies to use skills outside of Ghana and in the international community,” Rowley stated.
Nicholas is questioning why in a time of declining revenues in oil and gas, Rowley wants to make such an investment in Ghana.
Rowley returned from Ghana yesterday and held a press conference at the Piarco airport last night.