The Energy Ministry has denied reports that some government functionaries received at least one million dollars in bribery payments in a deal to install additional electricity generating capacity at the Aboadze Thermal Plant. The allegation is mentioned in a statement released by pressure group, Alliance for Accountable Governance to back its claims that the Mills administration is only paying lip service to fighting corruption. It refers to claims it says were made by a former Chief Executive of TAQA, a company producing electricity at the Thermal Plant. Barker-Homek is said to have sued his employers in a US court, claiming he was forced out after he refused to give kickbacks and bribes. But the Ministry’s Public Relations Officer, Edward Bawa maintains the claims are absolutely false. “As I speak to you now there is not even an agreement or a contract that you will have a project cost and inflate it and take money to pay government officials,” he said. Mr Bawa explained that the ministry had only invited bids to select an Energy Performance Certificates contractor. He said the AFAG statement was “false, ill-informed, ill-motivated and to a very large extent does not merit the attention of Ghanaians.” Source: Joy News/Ghana