Osahen Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin – Minority Leader writes…
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 for questioning the losses incurred under the Bank of Ghana’s Domestic Gold Purchase Programme and the role of GoldBod in those transactions.
These allegations are entirely false, and I reject them without qualification.
As Minority Leader in Parliament, my responsibility is to help Parliament discharge its constitutional oversight function. My 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.
I recognise that, in public life, those who are uncomfortable with legitimate scrutiny may push back. In some cases, they may resort to false allegations, personal attacks and ridicule in an effort to shift attention from the substantive issues and make the person asking the questions the subject of controversy.
I remain focused. I will continue working with the Minority Caucus to initiate the necessary parliamentary processes for a full inquiry into the reported GH¢22 billion loss arising from the trading done by the GoldBod and reflected in the books of the Bank of Ghana.
The International Monetary Fund has reported a loss of approximately US$1.7 billion under this programme in 2025. Whichever institution’s balance sheet carries that 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.
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.
These questions belong in the public record. The Minority will continue to place them there, in writing and with our 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 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.
Source: newsthemegh.com