Ghana’s Parliament has voted down a motion by the Minority Caucus seeking an ad hoc committee to investigate an alleged $214 million loss linked to the Gold for Reserves programme.
The motion, introduced by Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, proposed a detailed review of the programme’s governance, financial management, operational procedures, and environmental impact. Mr. Oppong Nkrumah contended that the inquiry was essential to ensure that state funds were not exposed to illegal mining activities.
However, the Majority Caucus opposed the motion, asserting that the reported losses reflected normal operational and transactional costs, and did not justify the creation of a special investigative committee.
A voice vote rejected the motion, and Speaker Alban Bagbin denied the Minority Caucus’s subsequent request for a secret ballot, effectively closing the issue in the House.
The decision highlights ongoing tensions between the Minority and Majority over transparency and accountability in high-value government programmes, with the Minority insisting on public scrutiny while the Majority emphasizes routine financial procedures.
The outcome leaves questions about the Gold for Reserves programme unresolved in the public eye, even as Parliament moves forward without the proposed probe.
