The presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has given yet another clear indication that when elected as president of Ghana hewill not respect the Agyapa mineral royalties agreement.

He is therefore urging the government to desist from signing that deal.

Addressing the chiefs and people of Kaleo as part of his tour of the Upper West Region, Mr Mahama said the attempt by government spokespersons to justify the Agyapa deal in the name of the 2011 proposed Ghana Gold Company is both inaccurate and disingenuous.

He said the proposed company was 100 percent owned by the government and people of Ghana,and it had no secret beneficial owners.

Mr Mahama pointed out that the Agyapa deal is shrouded in secrecy, its beneficial owners are unknown,seeks to “monetise Ghana’s gold royalties for the next 15 years and even in perpetuity without the consent of the people of Ghana”.

He added “civil society and right thinking Ghanaians have all expressed misgivings about this Agyapa deal”.

He said the government should back down from signing that deal because “we will do everything legitimately in our power to oppose the agreement and make sure it doesn’t happen”.

Mr Mahama said a small group of people cannot arrogate to themselves the right to monetise the country’s gold royalties without building consensus with the chiefs and people, adding the Agyapa agreement does not serve Ghana’s national interest.