The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has urged the government to move swiftly against individuals named in the United States bribery case involving Asante Kwaku Berko, the former Goldman Sachs banker and one-time Managing Director of the Tema Oil Refinery.

The opposition party insisted the government should act on the facts already established in the US proceedings instead of launching yet another investigation.

NPP Deputy General Secretary Haruna Mohammed told Accra-based Citi FM that the American court process had already identified the relevant persons, making further inquiries unnecessary.

His comments followed questions about the conviction of Kwaku Asante Berko in the United States and allegations concerning payments allegedly made to Ghanaian officials in connection with a power plant project.

Berko, a former Goldman Sachs investment banker and former Managing Director of the Tema Oil Refinery, was recently convicted in the United States. The US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York said Berko and his associates paid more than $1 million in bribes connected to the development of a power plant in Ghana.

Court proceedings also referred to discussions in August 2015 concerning $250,000 in alleged bribe payments to various individuals. This reportedly included $46,000 allegedly paid to members of the Ghanaian Parliament involved in the ratification of the Aksa Energy agreement.

The court proceedings also referred to the phrase “holy rain”, allegedly used by the conspirators when discussing a bribe payment that a recipient was awaiting.

Haruna Mohammed said “People are named. These are known people. They should go and deal with them. But we have been told that they are going to investigate. Investigate what? So these are the matters confronting the nation. President Mahama, if you have failed, just resign and let us live on. That is what we are expecting him to do.”

Mohammed stressed that the government must display both transparency and firmness when handling corruption claims that touch public officials or individuals linked to major national projects.

The party’s call follows the conviction of Berko by a US federal jury in Brooklyn on charges stemming from a bribery scheme that allegedly involved Ghanaian government officials in relation to a power plant project.