I am ready to face Afenyo-Markin in Parliament — Sammy Gyamfi

Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi

Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi, has challenged Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin to invite him to Parliament to answer questions over claims that the institution incurred losses from its gold trading operations.

Mr Gyamfi said he was ready to appear before Parliament at any time to demonstrate that claims linking GoldBod to losses under the Bank of Ghana's Domestic Gold Purchase Programme were unfounded.

Speaking during the government's Accountability Series on Wednesday, August 19, Mr Gyamfi said he was eagerly awaiting an invitation from Parliament to address the allegations.

He questioned why the Minority Leader continued to hold press conferences on the matter when Parliament's Public Accounts Committee could invite him to appear.

“There's been a call for a parliamentary probe, and I’ve already stated on public record that I’m waiting with bated breath for Afenyo-Markin’s invitation,” he said.

“I don’t know why he’s delaying and holding press conferences when, as Minority Leader, he can get the Public Accounts Committee to summon me tomorrow or today, and I will appear,” he added.

Mr Gyamfi also dismissed concerns that a parliamentary probe would require a special motion or approval from the Speaker, saying the Public Accounts Committee had the authority to invite him.

He said he had already reached out to the new Majority Leader, James Agalga, and asked him to facilitate an invitation if the Minority Leader delayed.

“I have in all humility reached out to the new Majority Leader in Parliament, Honourable James Agalga, and I pleaded with him that even if Afenyo-Markin delays in extending this invitation, he should extend the invitation to me and I’m ready to come tomorrow,” he said.

“You don’t need any special motion; you don’t need any special order by the Speaker. Just get the Public Accounts Committee to invite us and come and sit down there and come and demonstrate to the whole nation where the Gold Board made losses or how the Gold Board is to blame for losses made by another institution,” he said.

He maintained that he was prepared to account for GoldBod's operations and defend the institution against the allegations.

“We are waiting for that,” Mr Gyamfi said. His comments follow calls by the former Minister of State in charge of Finance, Abena Osei-Asare, for President John Dramani Mahama to order a thorough investigation into reported losses incurred by the Ghana Gold Board (GOLDBOD) in the course of its operations.

The Atewa East Member of Parliament, who chairs Parliament's Public Accounts Committee, said the reported financial losses associated with GOLDBOD require closer scrutiny to establish how the losses occurred and whether appropriate measures were taken to safeguard public funds.

Her call comes amid reports of a $1.7 billion loss reportedly attributed to GOLDBOD by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), a development she believes deserves detailed examination by the government and relevant state institutions.