A member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) communications team, Kwasi Kwarteng, has called for greater attention to the financial questions surrounding Ghana’s Domestic Gold Purchase Programme, arguing that the ongoing extortion allegations should not overshadow the broader issue.
Mr Kwarteng said the central matter requiring public scrutiny was the reported losses associated with the gold trade and the management of public funds through the programme.
In a social media commentary on the GoldBod controversy, he argued that even if the extortion allegation made by GoldBod Chief Executive Officer Sammy Gyamfi against Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin were found to have merit, it would not resolve the questions surrounding the reported financial losses.
“Assuming without admitting that the extortion allegation by Sammy Gyamfi against Hon. Alexander Afenyo-Markin has any merit, it remains irrelevant, immaterial and inconsequential to the substantive questions he raised about the reported losses,” Mr Kwarteng said.
He maintained that the involvement of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) in the debate was justified because of its central role in the Domestic Gold Purchase Programme.
According to him, the public discussion should therefore remain focused on the financial performance of the programme and the circumstances surrounding the reported losses.
“The substantive issues of the loss must not be lost in the distractions,” he stressed.
Dispute over reported GH¢22bn loss
The controversy follows claims by the Minority in Parliament regarding losses allegedly incurred under the Domestic Gold Purchase Programme in 2025.
The Minority has cited an IMF report which it says points to losses of about GH¢22 billion, equivalent to approximately US$1.7 billion.
GoldBod CEO Sammy Gyamfi has rejected the claims, arguing that the institution did not incur the reported losses and instead recorded surpluses based on figures contained in the Auditor-General’s report.
The debate subsequently intensified after Mr Gyamfi accused Mr Afenyo-Markin of extortion in connection with his public scrutiny of the programme.
Mr Afenyo-Markin has denied the allegation and indicated that he would pursue legal action over the statements.
Despite the personal accusations, the Minority Leader said his focus remained on the management of the Domestic Gold Purchase Programme and the use of public funds.
“On the defamatory statements made against me personally, I intend to pursue the appropriate legal remedies,” he said.
He added that his attention, as well as that of the Minority Caucus, remained focused on “the programme, the decisions taken and the public funds involved.”
Mr Kwarteng’s comments have therefore sought to shift the public debate back to the financial questions surrounding GoldBod, insisting that the allegations between the two political figures should not divert attention from demands for accountability over the gold programme.
