Agyapa deal: ‘Minority appears to be on autopilot' – Gideon Boako responds to Minority

Dr Gideon Boako, Economic Policy Advisor and Spokesperson of Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has described as an “autopilot mood” the position of the NDC Minority caucus in parliament to fight against the Agyapa Royalties Transaction deal.

According to him, President Akufo-Addo only made it known to parliament during his State of the Nation Address something that is yet to come.

“If the president says it is coming in its new form, why wouldn’t they wait, see the new form of Agyapa; Its content before making any comments on it,” Dr Boako told Joy News on Tuesday evening after the State of the Nation’s address.

He indicated that the attitude of the Minority is “just to condition themselves in an autopilot mood to say that no matter what he brings, no matter what new form it’s coming with, we're gonna reject that”.

“I don’t have any problem if indeed the Agyapa deal goes back to parliament and after thorough scrutiny, it is rejected or accepted. What is important is that whatever policies, laws or bills initiated or passed by parliament really serves that interest of Ghanaians,” he said.

When asked why the Akufo-Addo administration wants the bill to be passed at all cost, Dr Gideon Boako responded:

“Agyapa is just like any other policy that if the government thinks is right, will do what is necessary to put it. Agyapa deal is part of any other policies that it wants to initiate.”

Dr Cassiel Ato Forson (NDC- Ajumako/Enyan/Essiam MP) has vowed that the Minority MPs will be fighting the second coming of the Agyapa Royalties Transaction deal which President Akufo-Addo promised to bring back again.

Ato Forson told Joy News on Tuesday evening after the President’s address: “We want to assure the people of Ghana that we the members of the NDC Minority will not accept Agyapa in any form. They can decide to change the name, give it a new colour, cloth it differently, bring it in any form, Agyapa is still Agyapa; we’ll not allow it to go through today or tomorrow and we have decided to fight against this structure as it stands.”