Agyapa Deal: Akufo-Addo shielding Ken Ofori-Atta – Asiedu Nketia

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) says President Akufo-Addo is shielding the Finance Minister over his involvement in the Agyapa Mineral Royalties Limited deal.

The party believes the President is unable to sanction Ken Ofori-Atta following the damning findings of the Office of the Special Prosecutor because of nepotism.

This, the opposition party says has plagued the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration.

The Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu after conducting a Corruption Risk Assessment into the agreement revealed some mechanisations were not in the interest of the country.

The report uncovered instances of alleged manipulation of the procurement process “by the Ministry of Finance by adding an unapproved rider for collaboration with a Ghanaian firm.”

On the back of this, the opposition NDC has called for the sanctions against the Finance Minister with former President Mahama blaming nepotism for President Akufo-Addo’s inability to do so.

Speaking at a press briefing Tuesday, General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia said he is not surprised at the President’s decision to refer the deal back to Parliament instead of asking the Finance Minister and his Deputy to step aside for investigations to commence.

“In any serious country, Ken Ofori-Atta and Charles Adu-Boahen would have been suspended pending criminal investigations or better still, under criminal prosecution by now.

“Sadly, in our case, President Akufo-Addo has decided to shield these corrupt officials from punishment as he usually does,” he told journalists at the party’s headquarters in Accra.

Mr Nketia says he is not surprised by the turn of events adding that “this is exactly what nepotism does to a country.

“It completely blinds leaders and weakens their ability to crack the whip on their errant and corrupt appointees.”

He also accused President Akufo-Addo of being the “chief mastermind and promoter” of the controversial transaction.

“He [Akufo-Addo] has continuously defended and shielded his corrupt officials from punishment since he took office as was witnessed in the BOSTGATE corruption scandal, PDS scandal, missing excavators scandal, Australian VISA fraud scandal, just to mention a few,” the NDC chief scribe added.

Background

Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu says the involvement of Data Bank Financial Services Limited in the Agyapa Agreement smells of “bid-rigging.”

Mr. Amidu further reveals in his report that other individuals who have business interests in Data Bank aside from the Finance Minister played various roles leading to the selection of Data Bank.