The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has called for a full investigation into allegations surrounding the “Holy Rain” payments linked to a power plant transaction during Ghana’s prolonged power crisis. The party wants the appropriate state institutions to examine evidence presented in proceedings before a United States court and establish whether any Ghanaian officials or politically connected individuals benefited from improper payments.
Speaking at a press conference, the Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, Honourable Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, explained that the party is raising questions from evidence presented in court without seeking to determine the guilt of any individual. He stressed that such determination remains the responsibility of a competent court while Ghanaian authorities have a duty to investigate matters that could affect the national interest.
Honourable Awuah noted that the allegations emerged against the backdrop of one of Ghana’s most severe power shortages, popularly known as Dumsor. At the time, the country was urgently seeking additional generation capacity as government faced growing pressure to resolve the electricity crisis.
The Manhyia MP indicated that evidence presented in the United States proceedings pointed to an alleged scheme involving payments to government officials and a relative of then President John Mahama. He explained that the alleged payments were connected to efforts to facilitate a power plant project being pursued for Ghana.
The expression “Holy Rain”, he noted, reportedly appeared in an email referring to money expected by a Ghanaian official involved in the transaction. For the NPP, the phrase raises questions about the purpose of the payments and the extent to which financial inducements may have influenced decisions surrounding the project.
Honourable Awuah further argued that the matter deserved serious attention because the evidence emerged through proceedings in the United States. He described the development as an embarrassment for Ghana and urged domestic institutions to establish the full circumstances surrounding the alleged transactions.
The Manhyia MP explained that the case before the United States court involved Goldman Sachs and its United Kingdom subsidiary in connection with its client, Turkish power producer AKSA Energy Üretim A.Ş. The proposed project required an emergency power agreement and approvals from several Ghanaian institutions.
Among the institutions identified in the transaction were the Ministry of Power, Cabinet, the Ghana Grid Company Limited and the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission. According to Honourable Awuah, the approval process therefore involved several public institutions with responsibilities for Ghana’s power sector.
NPP Seeks Answers Over Alleged Payments Behind Power Project
The party also drew attention to individuals identified in the United States court proceedings in connection with the transaction. Honourable Awuah indicated that the evidence included references to a former Minister of Power, an adviser and another senior official within the Ministry of Power.
The Manhyia MP cited a payment figure of $1 million allegedly discussed for the then Minister of Power alongside $250,000 for a senior adviser. He also referenced an entry of $10,000 reportedly associated with another Ghanaian official involved in the emergency power project.
A further issue raised at the press conference concerned an alleged relative of the then President. Honourable Awuah pointed to the reference in the court record and urged investigators to establish the identity of the individual and determine the person’s role in the transaction.
The NPP also linked the matter to the wider political discussion surrounding the former President. Honourable Awuah referenced the Airbus controversy and argued that the appearance of a presidential relative in the current allegations warranted further scrutiny through formal investigations.
“One of the most disturbing aspects of this matter is the payment ledger introduced into evidence before the United States courts. The ledger reportedly contains a breakdown of payments allegedly earmarked for various individuals and institutions connected to the transaction.”
Honourable Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah
According to Honourable Awuah, the relevant entries appear on page 14 of the court record and warrant verification through Ghanaian records. He proposed that investigators examine financial transactions, correspondence, procurement documents, meeting records and other official materials that could establish what occurred.
The party therefore urged Ghanaian investigative authorities to obtain the complete court records and trace the payments referenced in the proceedings. Such an exercise should identify beneficiaries, intermediaries and officials whose decisions may have influenced the power project.
The timeline of the transaction also formed a central part of the NPP’s presentation. Honourable Awuah recalled that the Ministry of Power was established in November 2014, with Dr Kwabena Donkor subsequently appointed as Minister as Ghana grappled with severe electricity shortages.
The government at the time faced intense pressure to end Dumsor, with the then Power Minister publicly committing to resolving the crisis by the end of 2015. The proposed emergency power project therefore emerged during a period when additional electricity generation capacity carried significant national importance.
The NPP subsequently pointed to a transaction dated April 20, 2015, when approximately $500,000 reportedly moved from Turkey to Ghana through New York. Honourable Awuah placed that movement alongside the signing of the Emergency Power Agreement on May 12, 2015, urging investigators to examine the sequence carefully.
He argued that establishing the relationship between the movement of funds, the approval process and the eventual power agreement would help determine whether the allegations have any basis in Ghanaian records. The party consequently called for a transparent investigation capable of providing answers to the public and establishing accountability where evidence supports wrongdoing.
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