Ghanaian MP Afenyo-Markin Fires Back at Sammy Gyamfi Over Baseless Cla

Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has fired back at Sammy Gyamfi, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board, over claims that his questions about the Bank of Ghana's Domestic Gold Purchase Programme (DGPP) are baseless. Afenyo-Markin rejected allegations questioning his motives for demanding accountability for losses associated with the programme, calling them "false and defamatory".

Afenyo-Markin Rejects 'False and Defamatory' Allegations

Afenyo-Markin said the controversy surrounding the programme should not be allowed to shift attention from the substantive financial questions raised by the Minority, particularly concerning the reported US$1.7 billion loss under the programme in 2025. He maintained that his questions were not driven by personal interests or any improper agenda, but rather by his constitutional responsibility to scrutinise public institutions and demand explanations where questions arose over the use and management of public resources.

The Minority Leader said he had faced sustained personal attacks over the past week after his decision to question the programme's financial implications. "Over the past week, all manner of insults and personal attacks have been directed at me, apparently in an attempt to impugn my character and divert attention from the substantive questions I have raised," he stated.

Parliament's Constitutional Responsibility

Afenyo-Markin was emphatic in his rejection of the allegations. "These allegations are entirely false, and I reject them without qualification," he emphasised. He maintained that his intervention was rooted in Parliament's constitutional responsibility to scrutinise public institutions and demand explanations where questions arose over the use and management of public resources.

"As Minority Leader in Parliament, my responsibility is to help Parliament discharge its constitutional oversight function," Afenyo-Markin said. He added that his questions were guided solely by that responsibility, and that he had neither acted from any improper motive nor conducted himself inappropriately in the performance of his duties.

IMF Raises Concerns Over Losses

The controversy surrounding the programme comes against the backdrop of a public exchange between Afenyo-Markin and Gyamfi, following the Minority's concerns about the reported loss under the DGPP. The IMF has raised concerns about losses associated with the Bank of Ghana's domestic gold purchasing operations, putting the programme under renewed scrutiny and prompting questions about its financial implications.

GoldBod, which plays a central role in Ghana's gold purchasing and aggregation arrangements, has meanwhile been the subject of questions over its role in the transactions and the extent to which the reported losses should be attributed to it. The development has also revived broader questions about the financial risks associated with the government's gold purchasing strategy and the mechanisms used to manage the transactions.

What Happens Next

The dispute between Afenyo-Markin and Gyamfi is likely to continue, with the Minority Leader maintaining that the reported loss warrants closer examination to establish how it occurred, the institutions involved, the financial implications for the state, and whether adequate safeguards were in place. The development has also revived broader questions about the financial risks associated with the government's gold purchasing strategy and the mechanisms used to manage the transactions.

Source: JOY