<<Print>>

Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta has hit back at critics of the controversial Agyapa Royalties deal.

The controversies surrounding the deal started when the Minority in Parliament staged a walkout while the agreement was being passed on August 14, 2020.

John Jinapor, MP for Yapei-Kusawgu Constituency speaking on the floor of Parliament said a future NDC government will not honour the agreement.

The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has described the deal as secretive, lacked diligence and transparency.

They have raised issues with the fact that Agyapa Royalties Limited is an offshore company which will be in Channels Island of Jersey in the UK, a tax haven coupled with the fact that it was to be listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE).

Mahama factor

Former President and flagbearer of the NDC has also stated that he won't respect the Agyapa Mineral Royalties agreement when he becomes President.

“We will do everything legitimately in our power to oppose the agreement and make sure it doesn’t happen,” he told the Chiefs and people of Kaleo, as part of his tour of the Upper West Region.

Ofori-Atta fires

Ken Ofori-Atta speaking in an interview on Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo' bemoaned the fact that the former President was focused on his ambition of coming back to power instead of national interest.

"As a former Head of State you know how the market responds; I think there is a certain measure of the republic versus ambition," he opined.

Togbe Afede joins the fray

The President of the National House of Chiefs and Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State, Togbe Afede XIV has also reportedly criticized the deal.

He doesn't understand why government decided to set up the deal in a tax haven of Jersey.

However, in a quick rebuttal, the Finance Minister said:

"Sometimes it’s painful; you hear people who should know much better make such comments. This is a period of a lot of wisdom as you look at what is good for the republic . . . Nothing could be so wrong in anything; it might be new here but it’s nothing that Togbe can't understand. So what we would expect is to say twig this or that but to categorically say that it’s bad is a level of disingenuity."





Meanwhile, the National House of Chiefs has asked the general public to disregard publications that seek to draw Togbe Afede XIV into the Agyapa deal brouhaha.

The House wants to state without equivocation that neither the President nor the leadership of the House has issued such a statement or press release.

It is, therefore, preposterous for any person or group of persons to attempt to draw the President and the National House of Chiefs into the controversial Agyapa/Asaase royalties transaction,” Public Relations Officer of the National House of Chiefs, Stephen Owusu indicated.