GoldBod row: Afenyo-Markin threatens legal remedies over “defamatory” attacks

Minority Leader in Parliament and Member of Parliament for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, says he will pursue legal action over what he describes as defamatory statements made against him amid an escalating dispute over the Bank of Ghana’s (BoG) Domestic Gold Purchase Programme (DGPP).

Mr Afenyo-Markin said the personal attacks against him were an attempt to divert public attention from the substantive questions he had raised about the programme and the role of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) in the transactions.

The Minority Leader's latest response comes amid a war of words between him and GoldBod Chief Executive Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, following concerns raised by the Minority over the reported US$1.7 billion loss associated with the DGPP in 2025.

In a statement, Mr Afenyo-Markin said he had been subjected to what he described as insults and personal attacks over the past week.

“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,” he noted.

He said the attacks had gone beyond criticism of his position to allegations concerning his motives for questioning the reported losses.

“False and defamatory allegations have also been made about my motives for questioning the losses incurred under the Bank of Ghana’s Domestic Gold Purchase Programme and the role of GoldBod in those transactions,” he stated.

The Effutu MP rejected the allegations and said he was prepared to take the matter beyond the political arena.

“These allegations are entirely false, and I reject them without qualification.”

‘I will pursue legal remedies’

Mr Afenyo-Markin then made clear his intention to seek legal redress over the statements he considers defamatory.

“On the defamatory statements made against me personally, I intend to pursue the appropriate legal remedies.”

The threat of legal action adds a new dimension to the increasingly heated exchanges surrounding the DGPP, which has come under scrutiny following the IMF's report of an approximately US$1.7 billion loss under the programme in 2025.

GoldBod participated in the domestic gold purchasing transactions, making the institution a central part of the ensuing political debate over the programme.

The Minority has been pressing for greater clarity on the financial implications of the transactions, while GoldBod has disputed interpretations that seek to attribute the reported loss directly to the Board.

Mr Afenyo-Markin has maintained that the issue warrants parliamentary scrutiny because the funds involved are public resources.

His latest statement, however, seeks to separate the personal dispute from the substantive questions surrounding the gold programme.

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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.