Joy News’ checks have revealed claims by the Minority in Parliament that it pushed for an amendment to the Minerals Income Investment Fund Act 2018 to take away its ability to be incorporated abroad is untrue.
Clause 3 subsection A of the Act says the fund may create and hold equity interest in a special purpose vehicle in any jurisdiction in furtherance of it object
Speaking on JoyNews' PM Express on Tuesday, Minority spokesperson on Finance Cassiel Ato Forson said they sought to amend that clause but that was shot down.
But Joy News reading of the parliamentary Hansard of September 25, 2018 when parliament considered Clause 3 of the bill showed the only amendment to the bill was by the chairman of Parliament of finance committee Mark Assibey Yeboah.
The amendment was replaced by figure 41 in the bill with 40. Fast forward to July 2020, government sought amendment to the act to give Agyapa unfettered independent.
Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu served notice that his side will not back the amendment.
"Someone somewhere is thinking of a special purpose vehicle for what? to pay a special vehicle for who? Therefore, Mr Speaker, I am serving notice that I will both outstanding orders that when it comes to this matter we will insist on a headcount on this matter. We don’t want to be counted as supporting this particular deal," he said.
But when Parliament approved on the amendment two weeks later, the minority raised no objection.
It was only when government brought the Agyapa agreement itself to the house for approval that minority MPs walked out of the chamber.
Meanwhile, Civil Society Groups say they are waiting for more documents from government on the Agyapa Royalties deal to re-examine its position on it. The groups met with the Finance Minister on Wednesday.
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