Afenyo-Markin rejects defamatory claims over GoldBod Gh¢22bn loss query, vows legal action and parliamentary inquiry
Minority Leader Osahen Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin has broken his silence on the escalating row over the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), describing the past week as one marked by insults, personal attacks and false allegations aimed at discrediting him.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the Effutu MP said the attacks were an attempt to divert attention from the substantive questions he has raised about losses incurred under the Bank of Ghana’s Domestic Gold Purchase Programme and GoldBod’s role in the transactions.
“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. False and defamatory allegations have also been made about my motives,” he stated.
“These allegations are entirely false, and I reject them without qualification.”
Mr. Afenyo-Markin said as Minority Leader, his responsibility is to help Parliament discharge its constitutional oversight function, and that his actions have been guided solely by that responsibility.
“I have neither acted from any improper motive nor conducted myself inappropriately in the performance of my duties,” he stressed.
He noted that in public life, those uncomfortable with legitimate scrutiny may resort to false allegations, personal attacks and ridicule to make the person asking the questions the subject of controversy.
“I remain focused,” he said.
The Minority Leader revealed that the Minority Caucus is working to initiate parliamentary processes for a full inquiry into what he described as a reported GH¢22 billion loss arising from trading done by GoldBod and reflected in the books of the Bank of Ghana.
He pointed to the International Monetary Fund’s report of a loss of approximately US$1.7 billion under the programme in 2025, insisting that whichever institution’s balance sheet carries the figure, it represents public money.
“Ghanaians are, therefore, entitled to know who the off-takers were, what discounts were applied to their purchases, on whose authority those discounts were approved, and what fees were earned from the transactions,” he said.
He is also demanding a full disaggregation of the US$1.7 billion loss.
“They are equally entitled to a full disaggregation of the US$1.7 billion: how much arose from foreign-exchange differentials; how much resulted from the prices at which GoldBod bought and sold the gold; and what considerations informed the management decisions behind those transactions.”
Mr. Afenyo-Markin said these questions belong in the public record and pledged to continue placing them there in writing with sources published.
“So that every Ghanaian can examine the evidence and arrive at an informed judgment, rather than merely take my word or anyone else’s.”
On the personal attacks, the Minority Leader said he will seek legal redress.”
On the defamatory statements made against me personally, I intend to pursue the appropriate legal remedies. Meanwhile, my attention, and that of the Caucus I lead, remains firmly focused on the programme, the decisions taken and the public funds involved,” he concluded.
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