Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo Markin, has dismissed suggestions that the New Patriotic Party harbours a personal grievance against the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board, Sammy Gyamfi, insisting that the Minority’s scrutiny is directed at the operations of GoldBod rather than the personality of its chief executive.
Mr Afenyo Markin said the concerns being raised by the Minority were rooted in questions surrounding the activities, policies and management of GoldBod and should therefore not be interpreted as an attempt to personally undermine Mr Gyamfi.
His comments follow a recent exchange between the Minority Leader and the GoldBod Chief Executive after Mr Gyamfi characterised some of the criticism directed at him as being motivated by bitterness. He also indicated his readiness to appear before Parliament and account for the activities and operations of the institution.
Mr Gyamfi had further challenged Mr Afenyo Markin and other prominent members of the NPP to identify specific allegations concerning GoldBod that required a direct response rather than making broad criticisms of the institution.
Responding to those assertions in an interview with Metro TV, Mr Afenyo Markin maintained that neither he nor former Finance Minister Abena Osei Asare had any personal hostility towards Mr Gyamfi.
The Minority Leader said the parliamentary scrutiny should instead be understood as part of the constitutional responsibility of the opposition to examine government institutions, question decisions and demand accountability where concerns arise.
He appealed directly to Mr Gyamfi to distinguish personal attacks from legitimate institutional criticism, arguing that raising questions about GoldBod should not automatically be interpreted as hostility towards its leadership.
Mr Afenyo Markin further cautioned the GoldBod Chief Executive against relying on supporters to respond aggressively to his political critics, suggesting that political alliances and expressions of support could change over time.
He urged Mr Gyamfi to remain composed whenever concerns were raised about GoldBod and to concentrate on providing substantive explanations to the issues being presented rather than responding through personal exchanges.
According to the Minority Leader, the most appropriate response to criticism of a public institution is to address the substance of the concerns and provide the relevant information required to reassure Parliament and the Ghanaian public.
Mr Afenyo Markin also reminded Mr Gyamfi of his own conduct during his years in opposition, when he frequently criticised policies and decisions taken by successive governments and demanded explanations from public officials.
He argued that Mr Gyamfi’s previous role as a vocal opposition figure should make him particularly familiar with the importance of tolerating scrutiny and responding to difficult questions.
The Minority Leader further maintained that some of the concerns being raised about GoldBod were not originating solely from the NPP or the parliamentary Minority but were also reflected in observations and assessments produced by international financial institutions.
He therefore urged Mr Gyamfi to approach the concerns with greater openness, particularly where they relate to matters that have been highlighted by institutions regarded as credible and independent.
Mr Afenyo Markin stressed that the Minority’s objective was not to pursue Mr Gyamfi personally but to ensure that GoldBod’s activities remain subject to appropriate parliamentary scrutiny and public accountability.
The disagreement comes amid increasing political attention surrounding GoldBod and its expanding responsibilities within Ghana’s gold and foreign exchange sectors. The institution has assumed a more prominent role in the domestic gold trade, making its policies, financial arrangements and operational decisions subjects of heightened public and parliamentary interest.
For Mr Afenyo Markin, such scrutiny should not be interpreted as evidence of personal animosity. Rather, he maintained that public officials entrusted with significant responsibilities must be prepared to respond to questions concerning the institutions they lead.
The Minority Leader consequently called for a more measured approach to the ongoing exchanges, urging Mr Gyamfi to respond to criticism with evidence and explanations while allowing Parliament to perform its oversight responsibilities without unnecessary personalisation of the issues.
