Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has indicated that government has been very transparent in all transactions regarding the Agyapa Mineral Royalties deal.
This comes after calls by some 15 Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) under the umbrella name Alliance of CSOs working on Extractive, Anti-Corruption and Good Governance for an the immediate suspension of the implementation of the controversial Special Purpose Vehicle, Agyapa Royalties Limited established by the government through the Minerals Income Investment Fund.
The CSOs say until there is full disclosure of the beneficial owners of the Special Purpose Vehicle, Agyapa Minerals Royalties, the implementation of the deal should be deferred.
The Ofoase-Ayirebi legislator argued that government has no intention to hide any information from the public.The Minister said the government would have not taken the agreement to parliament if he had an intent of not disclosing it to the public.
He further stated that it was unfair for the CSOs to demand the suspension of the deal.
“There is nothing wrong with our friends in civil society saying that they don’t have some information and they will like to have that information. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. If that is the request, I believe that we are in the position to provide whatever information that they may request. I do not think however that it is proper for our colleagues in civil society to say that until they see some documents, they are calling for a suspension or they will do something else, I don’t think that is how we are running this democracy.”
TalkS Africa 