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Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi, has challenged Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin to invite him to Parliament to respond to allegations that the state gold trading institution incurred significant losses from its 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 awaiting an invitation from Parliament to address the allegations.
He questioned why Mr Afenyo-Markin continued to hold press conferences on the matter when Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee had the authority to invite him to answer questions.
“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 rejected suggestions that a parliamentary probe would require a special motion or approval from the Speaker, arguing that the Public Accounts Committee could invite him to appear.
He disclosed that he had contacted the new Majority Leader, James Agalga, and asked him to facilitate an invitation should Mr Afenyo-Markin delay.
“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.
According to Mr Gyamfi, the Public Accounts Committee does not need a special motion or order from the Speaker to invite GoldBod officials to answer questions about the institution’s operations.
“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 stated.
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.
Calls for investigation
Mr Gyamfi’s comments follow calls by former Minister of State in charge of Finance, Abena Osei-Asare, for President John Dramani Mahama to order a comprehensive investigation into reported losses associated with GoldBod.
The Atewa East Member of Parliament, who chairs Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, has argued that the reported financial losses linked to GoldBod warrant closer scrutiny to establish how they occurred and whether adequate measures were taken to protect public funds.
Her call comes amid reports of a $1.7 billion loss reportedly attributed to GoldBod by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
She believes the reported figure requires detailed examination by the government and relevant state institutions.