The Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) in collaboration with Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) has held a media sensitization engagement to enhance journalists understanding of issues related to the Agyapa Agreement.
The media sensitization workshop which was held in Tamale is part of initiatives by the Alliance of CSOs working on Extractives, Anti-Corruption and Good Governance in mobilizing local level support against the Agyapa Agreement.
President Akufo-Addo whiles delivering the State of the Nation Address on Tuesday said the government will engage Parliament on the steps it intends to take on the future of the Agyapa transaction.
Executive Secretary of the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition Beauty Emefa Narteh said hence the need to educate the media and provide information on issues related to the Agyapa Agreement for a more informed citizen engagement on the issue for wider reach and impact.
She added that it is also to mobilize media support to use their various platforms to advocate along the issues for suspension of the Agyapa Agreement.
The Policy lead on Climate Change and Energy transition at ACEP, Charles Gyamfi Ofori, in a presentation indicated that, Ghana rather will lose more revenue in the long run through the Agyapa agreement.
He revealed that Ghana will only receive an insignificant yearly in-flow of 31 million under the Agyapa agreement rather than the current amount of about 167 million dollars.
He also mentioned that the operational cost, dividend payout rate, return on investments and the gold price, which are things that determine the net amount to government are parameters outside government control even though government is said to be the largest shareholder within the current Agyapa arrangement.
Charles Gyamfi Ofori therefore urged government to rethink the Aagyapa investment model and consider other investment models that can generate a better value and maintain the flexibility to control the industry’s policy evolution.
Executive Director of ISODEC, Dr. Steve Manteaw on his part indicated that the current arrangement in the Agyapa Agreement differ from the NPP manifesto promise which was to provide a consolidated framework for managing all mineral revenues.
He mentioned that the current Agyapa arrangement lacked elaborative transparency provisions, citizens oversight arrangement, clear investment rules, clear expenditure rules and has weak accountability arrangements.
Source:Fiilafmonline/ShawanaYussif
