A lawyer for former Power Minister Dr Kwabena Donkor, K.T. Hammond has defended the decision by a Ghanaian technical team to travel to Istanbul, Turkey, to inspect equipment linked to the controversial Aksa Energy power deal.

K.T. Hammond said the trip was part of the standard technical due diligence required before major power-generation equipment was shipped to Ghana.

Speaking to JoyNews, the lawyer said it was necessary for Ghanaian officials to physically inspect the equipment and establish that it met the required standards and could deliver the expected generation capacity.

“The procedure would always be to get the technical people to go on site and inspect and be sure about the sanctity and integrity of the equipment you are receiving,” he said.

His comments come amid renewed scrutiny of the Aksa Energy deal following the conviction in the United States of former Tema Oil Refinery Managing Director Asante Kwaku Berko for his role in a bribery scheme involving Ghanaian officials.

Berko was convicted by a US federal jury on charges linked to the payment of more than US$1 million in bribes to Ghanaian officials in connection with the development and financing of a power plant in Ghana.

Dr Donkor, who was Minister for Power at the time of the transaction, has denied receiving any money or having any dealings with Berko.

His lawyer maintained that the Istanbul inspection was not a political exercise but an institutional process involving technical personnel from relevant agencies in Ghana's power sector.

He said the country was seeking to bring in about 370 megawatts of generating capacity at a time when Ghana was facing a severe power crisis, popularly known as Dumsor.

According to Mr Hammond, technical verification was therefore critical to ensure the equipment being supplied was fit for purpose.

“You bring some plant, and they look at it, and they say, well, it's anthracnose, or whatever you're looking for, and they can't do the job. So what do we do?” he asked.

He explained that the inspection involved representatives from various stakeholders in Ghana's electricity sector, including the Volta River Authority (VRA).

The lawyer's comments seek to provide context to one of the key processes surrounding the emergency power arrangement at the centre of the US bribery case.

The Aksa Energy deal was concluded during Ghana's prolonged power crisis, when the government was seeking additional generation capacity to address persistent electricity shortages.

The US prosecution of Berko has since triggered renewed calls for scrutiny of the Ghanaian side of the transaction, including the conduct of officials who were involved in negotiating, approving or facilitating the deal.

However, Mr Hammond insists Dr Donkor should not be held responsible for any alleged misconduct by individuals who may have acted independently or invoked his name without authorisation.

“If anybody goes on the frolic of their own and makes some scandalous and criminal demands on his behalf, he did not provide that,” he said.

Dr Donkor served as Power Minister during the period in which the deal was negotiated and later resigned from government on December 31, 2015.

He has categorically denied ever meeting Berko, demanding money from him or receiving any payment connected to the transaction.

The Office of the Special Prosecutor has previously disclosed that it provided investigative assistance to US authorities in the Berko case.

The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has also begun investigations into the Ghanaian dimension of the matter, including tracing potential assets or proceeds connected to suspected criminal conduct.

Mr Hammond's account, however, is that the trip was a legitimate technical inspection undertaken as part of Ghana's efforts to urgently secure reliable power-generation equipment during the Dumsor crisis.