The National Democratic Congress, (NDC) has given President Akufo-Addo a one-week Ultimatum to retrieve billions of Cedis his government illegally paid to some companies under the shady “Agyapa” deal.
According to the largest opposition party, if the president fails to retrieve the money, it will embark on series of protests and legal actions to ensure that every pesewa paid to these companies are refunded to the State for nation building.
Addressing journalists at the party’s Weekly Press Briefing in Accra, General Secretary, Mr. John Asiedu Nketiah said, “The NDC hereby demands, that President Akufo Addo retrieve for the state the billions of Cedis his government has illegally paid under the shady “Agyapa” deal to Databank, which is owned by his cousin and Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta; African Legal Associates, which is owned by another cousin of his, Gabby Otchere Darko; and their foreign compradors, within the next 7 days.
“Failing which the NDC and other like-minded progressive forces, shall embark on series of protest and legal actions to ensure that every pesewa paid to these companies are refunded back to the State for nation building,”he added.
Parliament in August approved the controversial Agyapa Mineral Royalty Limited agreement with the government of Ghana despite a walkout by the Minority.
The agreement raised some controversies between the government of the day, some CSOs and some opposition parties.
However, President Akufo-Addo on 2nd November, 2020 directed the Finance Minister to take the Agyapa deal back to Parliament following the completion of the Corruption Risk Assessment by Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu.
Mr. Asiedu Nketiah said, “President Akufo Addo and his government can never recover from the embarrassment that this “Agyapa” deal has brought to them. Indeed, many were those in this government, including their surrogates who defended this fraud in the face of overwhelming evidence, that this vehicle called “Agyapa” was one vitiated with cronyism and illegality.
“The NPP Majority caucus in Parliament used their numbers to railroad an illegality in support of the family and friends’ cabal at the helm of affairs today. Now, here we are, with President Akufo-Addo yet again trying to shift blame, by shamelessly directing the deal to go back to Parliament. Why should a Bill which emanated from the Executive and passed unanimously by the majority caucus in Parliament, now be portrayed as though it was an error of judgement on the part of Parliament? Friends, we are sorry to disappoint President Akufo Addo, but there is absolutely no way he can exculpate himself from blame in this “Agyapa” matter.
Ghana | Atinkaonline.com | Vincent Kwofie
