President Akufo-Addo, has said government will re-engage Parliament on the steps it intends to take on the future of the Agyapa Royalties transaction deal.
Making the disclosure while delivering his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) in his second term, President Akufo-Addo noted the controversial deal that failed to come to fruition in the 7th Parliament will be revisited in the 8th Parliament.
The Agyapa deal which sought to monetize the country’s mineral royalties faced stiff opposition particularly from Civil Society Organizations (CSO) because of the alleged controversies of conflict of interests, amongst others.
CSOs under the umbrella name of the Alliance of CSOs working on Extractive, Anti-Corruption and Good Governance also demanded the immediate suspension of the implementation of the controversial Special Purpose Vehicle established by government though the Minerals Income Investment Fund.
Former Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu, also in his Corruption Risk Assessment of the deal raised red flags describing the deal as fraught with corruption.
In November 2020, the President directed the then Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, to send the deal back to Parliament after the Special Prosecutor’s assessment of the deal.
