NDC's propaganda on Agyapa deal making Ghana 'unsafe' — Atta Akyea

The Chairman of Parliament's Mines and Energy Committee Samuel Atta Akyea has accused the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) of making Ghana unsafe with its constant criticism of the controversial Agyapa Royalties deal.

Atta Akyea, who is the Akim Abuakwa South MP on the ticket of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), was responding to claims made by the NDC at a press conference where Samy Gyamfi alleged corruption and financial loss to the state in the $12 million expenditure on the deal.

In an interview on Accra-based Joy FM, the lawmaker said "Bear in mind that in this feverish pitch to succeed Akufo-Addo, NDC should not sort of make a fetish of every issue as if everything is criminal. This nation is not safe with this level of propaganda and press conferences are not just conclusive evidence of culpability and criminality as it were."

According to Atta Akyea, describing the deal as criminal based on allegations alone could undermine Ghana's safety.

He argued, "If there is a poor error of judgment in the investment in Agyapa, it will not be tantamount to criminality."

However, NDC Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi maintained the deal was problematic as revealed by the Office of the Special Prosecutor in its investigation.

He cited the OSP's report which established that "the “Agyapa” deal violated the Public Procurement Act, the Public Financial Management Act and the 1992 Constitution, thus, rendering the entire transaction null, void and of no effect."

"If the Special prosecutor was not a court and the President does not agree with the position of the Special Prosecutor, why suspend the bill?” the NDC spokesperson quizzed.

But Atta Akyea still argues that, "If we don't go this route and we still believe that in the name of propaganda, let's turn the laws of Ghana upside down and in the convenience of a one-sided press conference let’s denigrate others, I am afraid that is not democracy, that is propaganda."