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After he moved a motion on July 22, 2024, to look into the issue, the Joint Finance and Public Accounts Committee (FPAC) and the Public Enterprises Committee (PEC) were asked to look into the matter within 90 days and submit their responses to the plenary session by October 22, 2024.
Judge Jawara, the first witness in the case, revealed during his deliberations that the said vessel was from Russia and was supposed to be docked in Ghana. Unfortunately, he said, a loophole in Ghana’s policy did not allow the vessel to dock there, so the vessel stayed somewhere else for 3 months until it found its way to The Gambia.
“I heard that these ships were at sea for three months and Apogee and GRID Energy, both of whom are Ghanaians, said, ‘Why don’t we go to Gambia and set up a company in Gambia so that these ships can be anchored in Gambia and sell the product there’. I think that will be a problem,” Mr Jawara said.
Mr. Jawara further explained that the WhatsApp audio messages detailed the entire process of Grid Energy’s negotiations, final bid and formation of a company based on the idea that they would sell Apogee’s products as they successfully registered their company and he was told that during those three months, the vessels were “negotiated in our waters”.
Likewise, the Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Seedy Keita, on 14 July, briefed on the landing of a cargo containing several tonnes of petroleum products mentioned above in Gambian waters.
Minister Keita confirmed that the petroleum products arrived on August 21, 2023, transported to The Gambia by GRID ENERGY and APOGEE. “A total of $1,452,915.45 was deposited into the Greed Energy and Apogee Ecobank Dalasi accounts, and $532,500 was deposited into the US dollar account,” he said. “In addition, $1,692,431.55 was deposited into the Access Bank account.”
Minister Keita explained that when OMCs pick up products from the godown, various taxes are calculated before the products are sold.
“Given the special regime in the petroleum sector, all taxes are calculated based on the uplift of OMCs and are payable between the 25th and 31st of each month. And “This particular product has been subject to all applicable taxes and duties. The supply by APOGEE was established in Dubai, UAE and had no business activities in The Gambia prior to this transaction; therefore it was not within our tax jurisdiction,” the minister said.
The Co-Chairs adjourned the meeting to address concerns about the evidence given by witnesses as this was the first time such a matter was being investigated.
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