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The Parliamentary Affairs Minister has criticized the standard-bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for his threats to repeal Agyapa Minerals’ controversial royalty agreement if he is voted into power.
Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu said that the public statement by former President John Mahama on the deal approved by Parliament through a majority decision is regrettable and unfortunate and represents a sign of dictatorship.
The Majority Leader said this in an exclusive interview on Adom News following the controversy surrounding the deal.
His comment follows Mahama saying that the architects of the Agyapa Minerals royalty deal are cronies of President Nana Akufo-Addo.
Questioning the transparency of the deal for Ghanaians, he hinted that he would repeal the deal if he won the December 7 election.
Mahama, who described the Agyapa deal as a shady deal, insisting that it is a theft of Ghana’s mining royalties, further questioned the basis of the deal between the government and a special purpose vehicle (SPV) company, Agyapa Royalties. Limited.
In addition to the former president’s concerns, some 15 civil society organizations (CSOs) are also demanding the suspension of the Agyapa royalty agreement until all necessary documents have been disclosed.
But the former president’s statement did not sit well with the experienced Suame legislator, who called the criticisms disappointing.
“Do you want to be a tyrant or do you want to be a dictator who will not use the Constitution to rule the country,” Kyei-Mensah questioned.
However, he admitted that a future government can modify or revise any agreement approved by Parliament by following the necessary procedures enshrined in the 1992 Constitution.
Justifying Parliament’s work, Mensah Bonsu insisted that the agreement is in the best interest of the country.
He said this agreement is not the same as the bauxit agreement that former president Mahama signed with his brother’s company.
