Agyapa Deal: You're In Parliament For Ghanaians; Stop This 'Walkout' Habit - Nana Ofori Blasts Minority

PPP National Chairman, Nana Ofori Owusu has condemned the Minority in Parliament over the government's Agyapa Royalties deal.

The Agyapa Royalties deal has suffered intense criticisms as the Minority and opponents of the Akufo-Addo administration have kicked against it.

The deal is to secure about $1 billion in minerals revenue for the country.

Agyapa Royalties Limited, a Special Purpose Vehicle, is to operate as an independent private entity to raise funds by floating shares on the London Stock Exchange and the money accrued is purposed to enhance the infrastructure and mining sectors of Ghana.

Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu rebuked the government over the deal saying "the Minister of Finance in presenting this deal is in breach and a clear violation of the law and is required to have reported this deal with full disclosure in his 2020 Supplementary budget to Parliament. Our position is that no future NDC government will honor the terms of this Agyapa Royalties Transaction".

NDC Member of Parliament for North Tongu constituency, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa also stated that Ghana will be the biggest loser in the deal.

"Listing your business on the stock market does not make it a guaranteed investment. The Stock market can fluctuate anytime, so those saying listing it on the London Stock Exchange guarantees some kind of security or we will have more value for the packaged gold deal under this messy and opaque deal are absolutely wrong...This makes this deal very risky," he said.

The Minority staged a walkout while the deal was discussed in Parliament amidst concerns that it is buried in secrecy and also reeks of corruption.

Speaking in relation to the issue on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'', Nana Ofori Owusu called for the subculture where Parliamentarians either boycott or walk out while national issues are broached before the Legislative House to stop with immediate effect.

According to him, what the Minority did was uncouth and that he preferred they making their arguments on the floor of the House.

''There is a process going on in Parliament that we have to make sure it stops. Parliamentarians are there to safeguard me and you. If they will walk out everytime, then later on issues come out, the losers are Ghanaians.''

Touching on the Agyapa Royalties deal, Nana Ofori however agreed with the Minority that the deal is shrouded in secrecy and asserted that the government should not brush aside dissenting views but rather consider their relevance to best the deal.

''Let's take a step back and review the issues dispassionately and go back to stakeholder consultations to broker a consensus before we move ahead with this particular deal," he told host Kwami Sefa Kayi.