There is nothing criminal about Agyapa deal — NPP's Richard Ahiagbah insists

Mr Richard Ahiagbah, Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has described the National Democratic Congress (NDC’s) promise to investigate and prosecute persons found guilty of corruption in the botched Agyapa Royalties deal as mere “parochial politics”.

He insisted there was nothing criminal about the Agyapa Royalties deal to warrant any criminal actions against persons involved.

The NDC, on Monday, February 19, 2024, at a press conference, reignited debate on the Agyapa deal following a disclosure by the Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Income Investment Fund, Mr Edward Nana Yaw Koranteng, at a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) sitting that the government had spent US$12m on the botched deal.

At the said press conference, the party pledged to investigate, retrieve all illegal payments made under the deal, and ensure that all perpetrators found guilty of any corruption and corruption-related acts were prosecuted.

“The day of accountability is fast approaching, and no one found culpable will be left off the hook by the next NDC/Mahama government,” the party said.

Speaking on Accra-based Joy FM’s Saturday morning show, Newsfile, Mr Ahiagbah described the position as a mere attempt to score political points.

He, therefore, urged Ghanaians to ignore the “NDC’s propaganda”.

“Everything Sammy (Gyamfi, National Communications Officer of NDC) and his party are doing cannot be in the interest of the country. It is for once, about their parochial politics, and in fact, Ghanaians saw through this in 2020 and voted against them,” Mr Ahiagbah said.

The NPP government introduced the Agyapa Royalties deal in 2020 to raise funds through mineral royalties for infrastructure development.

Government, in 2021, however, suspended the deal after public outcry, to allow for more consultation.

Making justification for the deal, Mr Ahiagbah explained that the Agyapa instrument was designed to generate revenue for the state to undertake development for all Ghanaians.

He, therefore, refuted claims of the deal being an attempt to mortgage the future of the country.

“It is not even mortgaging. It is not mortgaging because it is an attempt to seek value for this country. Now, there are multiple income streams that will generate out of Agyapa if you go and list on the Stock Market,” he said.

“The incidental appreciation in share value over time, that becomes value for us and also the investment that we will be making in mining companies who will be creating value and therefore appreciation in that value becomes returns for the state,” Mr Ahiagbah indicated.

Meanwhile, Mr Gyamfi, National Communications Officer of NDC, said the payment of the $12 million constituted woefully causing financial loss to the state, and urged every Ghanaian to be “interested in the recovery of this money”.