The Member of Parliament for Effutu and Minority Leader, Honourable Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, has called for a bipartisan parliamentary inquiry into transactions involving GoldBod and the government’s gold related economic programmes. Speaking about the Minority’s press conference on the matter, he argued that Parliament must provide a platform for the relevant institutions and officials to account for decisions that have financial implications for the country.
The Minority Leader explained that the caucus would file the necessary motion when Parliament resumes next week. He indicated that the proposal would seek to establish the details of the transactions, the parties involved and the financial decisions that produced the reported losses.
The Effutu MP stressed that the proposed inquiry should examine the people involved in the transactions and the amounts paid at different stages. He also called for scrutiny of the quantity of gold purchased, the volume exported and the pricing arrangements applied throughout the process.
“We believe that this process must not be petty, but it must be seen in the broader space of accountability.”
Honourable Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin
According to the Minority Leader, questions surrounding changes in the applicable rates also require parliamentary examination. He pointed to the reported adjustment from 15 percent to nine percent and urged the relevant authorities to explain the basis and timing of the change.
Addressing the political dimension of the issue, Honourable Afenyo-Markin urged the Majority to consider the proposal as an institutional accountability exercise. He added that the Minority would welcome the participation of the Majority in the process and would accept a committee structure that gives the governing side significant representation.
The call follows a period of political debate over the performance of GoldBod and the wider gold related programmes operated by the government. Recent public exchanges have involved claims about financial losses and the institution’s performance, with GoldBod previously citing audited figures showing a GH¢5.44 billion overall surplus for 2025.
Minority Links Gold Policy Debate To IMF Findings
The Minority’s proposed parliamentary action also extends into a wider debate over economic policy and institutional accountability. Honourable Afenyo-Markin argued that the government should be prepared to subject its own decisions to the same accountability standards it applies when examining the previous administration.
Discussing the issue, the Minority Leader referred to an IMF report which he claimed raised serious questions about the economic implications of continuing the programme in its existing form. He urged the public and Parliament to examine the report directly so that the debate could be based on the findings of the international institution.
The argument places the GoldBod controversy within a larger political conversation about economic management. From his perspective, the reported financial outcomes should be assessed alongside the policy objectives, implementation decisions and risks associated with the programme.
Honourable Afenyo-Markin also rejected the idea that the matter should become a personal dispute involving politicians. He, however, is of the view that the issue is one that involves institutions, policy choices and the management of public resources.
“I don’t want this to be reduced into a partisan banter, or reduced to a personality clash.”
Honourable Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin
The Minority Leader argued that the parliamentary process could help separate political claims from verifiable information. He emphasised that presenting the relevant documents and inviting interested parties to account for their roles would allow Parliament and the public to assess the matter more objectively.
Furthermore, the discussion touches on the financial consequences of government decisions involving the management of Ghana’s mineral resources. While gold remains central to the programmes under discussion, the political argument presented by the Minority centres on how public institutions make decisions, assess risks and account for their financial outcomes.
In addition, the Minority Leader urged the media to examine the IMF report and place its findings before the public. He suggested that such scrutiny would allow citizens to understand the economic implications without reducing the matter to exchanges between the governing party and the opposition.
The Minority also indicated that its motion will rely on the IMF report and other documentation available to the caucus. Hon. Afenyo Markin stressed that the material would form the basis of the case the caucus intends to present before Parliament.
“Nothing will change from the report. Our work on our document, the pillar on which we rely, is the very IMF report.”
Honourable Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin
For the opposition caucus, the next step will be the filing of the motion when Parliament resumes. The Minority is of the view that Parliament must look into the matters of the Goldbod.
READ ALSO: Goldbod Unveils ASM Formalisation Drive, Speed Boats to Fight Galamsey
