Your Petition Is Opportunistic, Populist; We’re Already Probing Agyapa Gold Royalty Deal – Amidu To STRANEK

The Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu has described as “opportunistic and populist” a petition filed by a Civil Society Organization, STRANEK, urging his office to dive into the controversial Agyapa Royalties deal.

In a response to the group, the Special Prosecutor said his office has already independently commenced investigations into the matter and therefore cannot commit resources to follow up on STRANEK’s petition.

“Your letter under reference, therefore, appears to this Office as an opportunistic and populist enterprise on your part to take credit for processes already independently commenced by this Office. In any case, your letter containing mere speculations does not present any reasonable basis for this Office to commit further resources to your request from the public purse,” the letter from the Special Prosecutor said.

STRANEK in its petition to Office of the Special Prosecutor earlier this month said it wanted the office to investigate how the value of the royalties being ceded to Agyapa Royalties was calculated by the government and which entity did the evaluation.

“Agyapa deal is shrouded in illegality, secrecy and issues of conflict of interest, and is inimical to the interest of the good people of Ghana. The deal raises serious concerns which demand your urgent attention,” excerpts of the petition read.

But that request has been rejected.

While admitting that the Agyapa mineral royalties issue was of national interest, the Martin Amidu said it was surprising that the CSO petitioned his office to look into the deal when evidence abound to the effect that his office had already started work on it.

He said the CSO’s petition smacks of an attempt to take credit for work his office is already doing.

Read excerpts of Martin Amidu’s response below:

The Agyapa Royalties Agreements and related issues have been matters of national interest since they were approved by Parliament on 14th August 2020.

It is also a notorious matter of public knowledge and notice that this Office on 10th September 2020 invoked its mandate pursuant to Sections 2(1), 29, and 73 of Act 959 and Regulation 31 (1) and (2) of L. I. 2374 to examine any issues arising therefrom.

(See “Special Prosecutor demands information on Agyapa deal from Parliament, September 11, 2020” and “ Parliament to furnish Special Prosecutor with documents on Agyapa deal today, September 14, 2020″ — citifmonline.com and radio; Modern Ghana; Ghana Web; and other media houses also carried the same news with different headlines) It is further in the public domain that Parliament and other public institutions have already responded to this Office’s request for information and documents.

Your letter under reference, therefore, appears to this Office as an opportunistic and populist enterprise on your part to take credit for processes already independently commenced by this Office. In any case your letter containing mere speculations without more, does not present any reasonable basis for this Office to commit further resources to your request from the public purse.

Kindly accept the assurances of the Special Prosecutor of the highest consideration.

---citinewsroom