Political analyst, Dr Theo Acheampong, says the Agyapa Minerals Royalties transaction that government is seeking to present before Parliament needs to be heard.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Newsfile Saturday, the Political Analyst said he, however, expects the suspended deal to be reevaluated in line with all the issues the citizenry raised about the initial agreement.

He noted that ‘Agyapa 2.0’ must not only answer questions but also indicate the gains the country will benefit should it be passed and implemented.

“I want to see what is new. I want to see how the issues that were raised with the first deal have been addressed. I want to see how this ends up actually creating value for the people Ghana that we cannot actually get immediately.

“So yes, I am opened to see the new deal and I think we just need to see what is new on Agyapa before we can actually draw any useful inferences,” he told host Samson Lardy.

On August 14, 2020, Parliament approved the Agyapa Minerals Royalties Investment Agreement and four related documents to allow for the monetisation of Ghana’s future gold royalties.

Under the agreement, Agyapa Mineral Royalties Limited has been incorporated in Jersey near UK to receive and manage royalties from 16 gold mining leases over the next 15 years.

In exchange, the firm will list on the London and Ghana Stock Exchanges later this year and raise at least $500 million for government to invest in infrastructure, health and education.

The listing will allow private people to buy a 49 per cent stake in the firm.

However, some 22 civil society organisations called for a suspension of the deal, insisting it was not in the interest of Ghana.

Subsequently, the then Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu in a Corruption Risk Assessment Report on the transaction  stated that there was reasonable suspicion of bid-rigging and corruption activity in the selection process of the deal.

Dr Acheampong was however, hopeful that the government will undertake the necessary processes including consultations and back channel arrangements for a revised and improved version of the deal.

He doubted if Parliament will approve it should the issues raised in the suspended agreement be discovered in the new deal.