Godfred Dame justifies 'controversial' Agyapa deal
He said at every step, the government put the interest of the nation first and not the interests of any individual, organization or group of persons.
Jonas Danquah 
The Minister for Justice and Attorney General-designate, Godfred Yeboah Dame, says the Agyapa transaction to monetize some of Ghana’s gold royalties was done in accordance with the laws of the country
Mr Yeboah Dame told the Appointments Committee of Parliament that, at every step of the way, the Ministry of Finance and, for that matter government, put the interest of the nation first and not the interests of any individual, organization or group of persons.
“Mr. Chairman, with all respect, I don’t see any vitiating factor with regard to the transaction,” he said as quoted by Graphic.com.
Mr Dame in his vetting, held that, the Finance Minister, his Deputy and promoters of Agyapa were unfairly criticized in the controversial report of the Special Prosecutor.
Haruna Iddrisu, the Minority Leader, who is also a lawyer, seemed visibly surprised when the nominee stated that Mr Martin Amidu did not interview Ken Ofori-Atta, his deputy, Charles Adu Boahen and anybody else involved with the transaction before he concluded his damning report on the transaction in October last year.
A major subject of disagreement pertaining to the corruption risk assessment carried out by the then Special Prosecutor(SP), is his findings that the Mandate Agreement between the lead transaction advisor, Imara, and its local partner, Databank Group, was unconstitutional because it should be treated as “an international transaction” and, by that, required the approval of Parliament.
The AG nominee. Disagreed, arguing that the transaction advisory role was not the main transaction but an agreement to build the structure and building blocks towards the ultimate objective of listing the Agyapa Royalties company on both the London and Accra stock markets.
“I will submit finally that to the extent that Parliament had considered and approved the substantive agreement itself, the primary agreement being the Minerals Royalties Agreement, other agreements like the approval of a transaction advisor ought not to have come before this honourable house for approval,” the learned Minister for Justice-designate told the 26 members of the Appointments Committee of Parliament.
