The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, will on Saturday, September 5 be on Newsfile for discussions on the Agyapa Royalties deal.

The one-on-one discussion with host Samson Lardy Anyenini will delve deep into the details of the contract and address the controversies surrounding it.

Newsfile, your most authoritative news analysis show, will be on from 9:00 am to 12 noon.

Viewers are encouraged to send in their questions, suggestions and views on JoyNews social media platforms and on Twitter with #Newsfile.

About Agyapa Royalty and its opposition

A Deputy Minister of Finance, Charles Adu Boahen at a press briefing on August 27 described the Agyapa deal as the best for Ghana’s gold.

He disclosed that Agyapa Royalty, a gold royalty company was set up with the sole aim of offering finance to gold mining companies that want to develop new mining projects in exchange for royalties or revenue once the mines start producing gold.

The rationale for the transaction, Mr Adu Boahen noted is to create and launch Africa’s first gold royalty company and showcase Ghana as the premier destination for gold assets and resource mining, whilst raising non-debt funding for capital investment.

This, he noted, was a sure way to attract investment into the sector, increase exploration activity, provide financing to owners of mining concessions looking for equity type of financing to develop their mines and bring them to production as well as ensure rural development.

Income from this transaction would be used in four main areas, health, education, road infrastructure and housing. Mining communities would be prioritized to benefit from these projects. 

Meanwhile, the opposition NDC and Civil Society Organizations have raised concerns about the company's board and the legitimacy of the deal.