Ghana’s ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has asked the civil society organisations (CSOs) that condemned the establishment of the Agyapa Royalties Limited deal to seek clarification on the deal.

Development Diaries had reported that the CSOs asked the government of the West African country to suspend the deal with Agyapa Royalties Limited until all documents tied to its establishment and its owners have been disclosed.

The Agyapa Royalties Limited was established by the government through the Minerals Income Investment Fund to manage the country’s mineral royalties.

But the CSOs working on extractive, anti-corruption and good governance said in a statement that the policy was being implemented in an opaque manner.

However, at a press briefing, the party’s Communications Director, Yaw Asamoa, challenged the CSOs to ask for clarifications on the deal rather than insinuating that government has ill intentions.

‘Ghana for over 100 years has been exporting gold and we cannot identify any tangible thing we have used those monies for’, he said.

‘So what we are asking CSOs to do is to interrogate these things dispassionately. If you want to know what the money we will make will be used for, ask. If you want to know how we will sustain value, ask.

‘Ask the right questions but do not impugn motives that appear to negate the transparency of the whole process of this deal. The deal was not rushed’.

Asamoa noted that the government’s decision to list the country’s royalties was to help rake in more revenue for developmental projects across Ghana.

‘We have the headquarters Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in Ghana, so if we can’t trade beyond Ghana how are we going to benefit from it. We must go out there and leverage what we have’, he added.

Source: Joy Online

Photo source: Yaw Buaben Asamoa