Agyapa to reduce Ghana's debt exposure, Ofori-Atta
Agyapa deal to be sent to parliament
Executive Director of Imani Africa, Franklin Cudjoe has stated that the controversial Agyapa deal remains a looting scheme of Ghana’s mineral resources.
Conversations on the Agyapa deal have resurfaced in recent times after the Finance Minister on Thursday, May 12, 2022, stated that his mind is still on the deal.
The Minister noted that it “is not about whether the monetization of mineral royalties or listing of the company is bad or good, it is good because that is how you raise resources.”
“The question is the process of doing that. If we have a problem with the process, let’s articulate it, let’s cure it, but let us not drop something that would be good for us and reduce our debt exposure,” he said.
The IMANI boss in a Twitter post noted however that, “It must be emphatically stated that nothing of significance has changed with the Agyapa deal. It remains a brutal raid of Ghana's mineral resources. And it must go back to Parliament.”
It must be emphatically stated that nothing of significance has changed with the Agyapa deal. It remains a brutal raid of Ghana's mineral resources. And it must go back to Parliament.
Meanwhile, the Minority in Parliament has said it will oppose the Agyapa Royalties Agreement should it resurface in Parliament.
However, the Finance Minister said discussions on the deal should be focused on how best it can be done instead of the decision to oppose it entirely.
Parliament approved the Agyapa Minerals Royalties Investment Agreement and four related documents on August 14, 2020, to monetize Ghana’s future gold royalties.
Some 22 civil society organizations called for a suspension of the deal, insisting it is not in the interest of Ghana.
Franklin Cudjoe is Executive Director for IMANI Africa