General News of Thursday, 3 September 2020

Source: peacefmonline.com

Agyapa Deal: Go to court if you believe you are right - Kabila tells Minority

CPP stalwart, James Kwabena Bomfeh play videoCPP stalwart, James Kwabena Bomfeh

CPP stalwart, James Kwabena Bomfeh, popularly called Kabila has taken a swipe at the Minority members of Parliament over their position on the Agyapa Royalties deal.

The minerals royalties deal is to see Ghana float its shares on the Ghana Stock Exchange and London Stock Exchange to reap benefits to a tune of about $1 billion.

Agyapa Royalties Limited, a Special Purpose Vehicle, has been charged to operate as an independent private sector entity and raise the funds for the nation.

The money is to be used to improve the country's infrastructure as well as maximize the minerals sector.

Nonetheless, the Minority in Parliament walked out while the deal was discussed on the floor of the House in protest against the deal.

They claim there is a conflict of interest and also raised issues with the terms of the deal.

Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu, at a press briefing in Accra on Tuesday, September 1, said; "The Minister of Finance in presenting this deal is in breach and a clear violation of the law and is required to have reported this deal with full disclosure in his 2020 Supplementary budget to Parliament. Our position is that no future NDC government will honor the terms of this Agyapa Royalties Transaction."

But Kabila has asked the Minority to take the government to court if they so believe the deal is shrouded in corruption.

According to him, Parliament is not the best authority when it comes to judicial arbitration and so to prove they indeed have a genuine case, they should take the matter to the Highest Court of the land saying "corrupt means cannot be used to fight corruption . . . The Parliament of our country is not above the dictates of the Supreme Court''.

"If the Minority so strongly believe that their position is right, why are they not resorting to the law?" he questioned on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo'.