ECOWAS Court Slaps Ghana With $750 Cost Over Egyapa Deal

A three-member panel of the ECOWAS Court presided over by Justice Edward Amoako Asante has awarded a cost of $750 equivalent to over (GHc5,600) against the Attorney-General (AG) of Ghana over the Agyapa Deal.

The cost was awarded because the AG had requested time to file a reply in a case in which Transparency International, Ghana Integrity Initiative, and Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition have sued the Ghana Government over the Agyapa deal.

The applicants per the action at the ECOWAS Court are asking for more clarity of the proposed deal by the government to explore the country’s gold reserve.

In the ECOWAS Court sitting on Wednesday, March 23, Ghana’s Attorney General represented by Dorothy Afriyie Ansah requested for time to file a reply to the applicants’ reply to their response.

According to her, even though they filed their rejoinder to the application out of time, they will need more time to respond again to the applicants’ reply.

She said the reason the AG filed the response out of time was that she had a post covid complication since the case was assigned to her.

But, Counsel for the applicants led by Olumide Babalola, said their reply to AG’s defence was as far back in July last year.

According to him, there is nothing to respond to by the AG, adding that, if they would be obliged time to file, then they will need a cost of $1000.

The court presided over by Justice Asante after listening to the parties awarded a cost of $750 against Ghana and directed the AG to file their reply by Monday, March 28.

EIB Network’s Court Correspondent Murtala Inusah reports that the case has been adjourned to Wednesday, March 30, 2022, for hearing.

Source: Starfm