Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin is pushing back hard against a wave of personal attacks, vowing that coordinated insults will not stop him from digging into the massive financial hole left by the Domestic Gold Purchase Programme.
The Effutu lawmaker has recently been catching heavy flak for questioning the financial operations of the Bank of Ghana and the newly commercialized GoldBod.
The controversy stems from an alarming disclosure by the International Monetary Fund, which reported a jaw dropping US$1.7 billion loss under the scheme for the 2025 financial year.
In a fiery press statement released to clear the air, Afenyo-Markin explicitly stated that the smears are simply a distraction tactic.
"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." - Afenyo-Markin
He completely rejected claims that he has hidden motives for scrutinizing the gold trades, reminding his critics that it is his constitutional duty to ensure parliamentary oversight.
Pushing for a Full Parliamentary Inquiry
The Minority Leader intends to rally his parliamentary colleagues to drag the entire gold purchase architecture before the legislature.
He insists the public has every right to know exactly who bought the state gold, what massive discounts they enjoyed, and who signed off on those deals.
The staggering US$1.7 billion, which translates to roughly GH¢22 billion, represents public money regardless of whose balance sheet currently carries the deficit.
"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." - Afenyo-Markin
Seeking Legal Action and Next Steps
Afenyo-Markin acknowledged that putting public figures under the microscope naturally invites pushback. He observed that those uncomfortable with legitimate scrutiny often resort to ridicule and defamation to shift the controversy onto the person asking the hard questions.
He wants a complete forensic breakdown of the losses, specifically demanding to know how much of the money evaporated through foreign exchange differentials versus the actual trading margins engineered by GoldBod.
While he plans to take his detractors to court over the defamatory remarks, the political heat surrounding the gold scheme is only going up.
"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," he promised, signaling a brutal parliamentary showdown in the days ahead.
Afenyo-Markin said personal criticism would not stop the Minority from seeking answers through Parliament, setting the stage for further scrutiny of the government's gold trading arrangements.
READ ALSO: ACEP Boss Demands Probe Into Recurring Trips on Transmission Lines to Stop Nationwide Blackouts
