The People’s Alliance for Governance and Accountability has raised questions over alleged extortion claims against Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin by GoldBod CEO Sammy Gyamfi, while also calling for greater transparency in the operations of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) and the Bank of Ghana (BoG).
According to the group, the Minority Leader should, as a matter of urgency, come out to either debunk or confirm the allegations levelled against him.
Sammy Gyamfi has already indicated that he needs a platform where both he and the Minority Leader can be present so that he can provide details regarding the allegations.
The People’s Alliance for Governance and Accountability has also raised concerns about the operations of GoldBod and the Bank of Ghana, particularly regarding gold pricing, discounts offered to off-takers, and foreign exchange arrangements under the Domestic Gold Purchase Programme.
The group said there is a need for greater transparency regarding how gold purchased from local miners is priced and how much the Bank of Ghana pays GoldBod for the gold.
It is also demanding clarity on how much GoldBod subsequently sells the gold to the Bank of Ghana or other off-takers, as well as the discounts applied to those transactions.
The group further questioned the formula used to determine the purchase and selling prices of gold. It wants to know who approved the pricing methodology and what considerations were taken into account in arriving at the figures.
The People’s Alliance for Governance and Accountability also called on the Minority group in Parliament not to sit aloof while such allegations continue to circulate against their leader.
The group stressed that the Minority has a responsibility to take appropriate action and address the matter to bring clarity to the allegations.
It further urged the relevant institutions to provide clear and transparent information on GoldBod’s pricing and transaction arrangements to promote accountability and public confidence in the country’s gold-trading sector.