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Even before the Government of Ghana officially comes out to officially deny or confirm reports that it has engaged the services international political and business consulting firm, Jefferson Waterman International (JWI) to represent its interests in the United States, Peacefmonline.com has stumbled across a copy of the �Political Advocacy Retainer Agreement� between the Government of Ghana and the American lobby firm. The agreement was signed in April this year. The term of the agreement is for �a 12month period commencing from the date of the signing of this agreement (30-04-2014) by both parties�. Per the terms of the agreement - signed by Chief of Staff, Prosper Bani (on behalf of the government of Ghana) and Chief Executive Officer of JWI, Charles Waterman � Ghana will pay JWI �a retainer fee of USD 500,000 for each twelve month term, payable in advance�. Policy think-tank, IMANI Ghana, which first broached the subject last Sunday claiming the Mahama-led NDC administration had engaged JWI in a strategic promotions contract estimated at 5 million Ghana Cedis (GHc); wondered the sense in �spending millions on American lobbyists,� given the country�s recent economic struggles. IMANI-Ghana accused the current administration of not being transparent or lack thereof regarding details of the said agreement. �There was no international competitive bidding. Even if not by advertisement in the international press, a qualified bidding process could have been done by inviting several eligible lobby firms to submit expressions of interest. Instead, we had to learn that Ghana has engaged Jefferson Waterman International (JWI) through compulsory disclosure requirements imposed on American lobby firms by US law,� the policy think-tank said in a statement issued by its founder Franklin Cudjoe. Interestingly, claims IMANI, the ruling party, when in opposition, stridently criticized the practice of and questioned the value of engaging American lobby firms. The NDC then, believed the maintenance of a full diplomatic mission in the United States (in both New York and Washington DC), was sufficient to represent the full range of the country�s interests in the United States. Meanwhile, a statement on the US lobby firm�s website confirms it has been representing Ghana since February 24, 2011, a country described as an �Oasis of Stability in West Africa�.