The upcoming 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections in Ghana have been characterized as a crucial opportunity to address what Hon. Kofi Adams, Member of Parliament for Buem, describes as the high level of corruption associated with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government. Adams argues that the ballot box is the only effective tool for Ghanaians to express their discontent with the alleged corruption cases and bring about a change in leadership.
During an appearance on the Simpieso Political talk show on Ahotor 92.3 FM, hosted by Emmanuel Martey (Alaska De Don) in Accra, Adams stressed that perpetuating the Nana Addo government in power would be seen as an endorsement of corruption and other high-incidence crimes attributed to the current administration. He called on Ghanaians to vote the NPP out of office in order to restore what he perceives as the vision and good governance of John Dramani Mahama.
In another development, Kofi Adams expressed shock at the lack of awareness within the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) regarding the government’s spending on the suspended Agyapa royalties deal. The CEO of the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF), Edward Nana Yaw Koranteng, revealed during a PAC session that $12 million had been spent on the initial public offering process on the London Stock Exchange before the deal’s suspension.
Adams criticized the committee’s lack of prior knowledge about this expenditure, stating that neither the Auditor General’s report nor previous disclosures had mentioned this spending. He highlighted the need for transparency and accountability, emphasizing that such information should be readily available and not discovered during committee sessions.
The Agyapa deal, aimed at generating funds for critical infrastructure projects through mineral royalties, faced opposition and was eventually suspended. Adams expressed concern over the decision-making process and the lack of involvement of appropriate bodies in the investment, raising questions about the allocation of funds and the transparency of government dealings.
The revelations surrounding the Agyapa deal further fuel the political discourse ahead of the 2024 elections, with issues of corruption and financial transparency taking center stage.
He further said that “According to the CEO of MIIF, the Ministry of Finance gave them the go-ahead to go into such an investment and that in taking a decision to stop, they were not involved. And that he could not even provide us with the reasons why the decision to stop was taken. And according to him, the letter to stop was sent to the Attorney General, who looked at it and advised.
They as MIIF were not involved in any way in terms of stoppage. And truly speaking this was the first time. And this was not even in the Auditor General’s report but this was out of a public interest question…A member wanted to know about the Agyapa deal and the recent investment in the lithium found in the central region.”
AYM Kukah:E:mail:kukahalexander7@gmail.com
