By Isaac Arkoh, GNA
Cape Coast, Aug. 28, GNA — The Central Regional branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has declared its unwavering support for Mr Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the Member of Parliament for Effutu, in his pursuit to probe into the alleged $1.7 billion GoldBod losses.
The amount, which is approximately GH¢22 billion has been linked to the GoldBod gold trading.
On August 18, 2026, Mr Markin, also the Minority Leader called for a Parliamentary probe into the reported GH¢22 billion GoldBod losses, insisting that the government account for the figures and rejecting claims that his scrutiny was extortion-related.
However, addressing a press conference on Thursday, Mr Richard Tekyi Mensah, the Regional Secretary, said the party in the region viewed the investigation as necessary to restore accountability and preserve the dignity of a statesman.
He said the probe would help establish the facts surrounding the reported transaction and ensure that public interest was protected.
Mr Mensah reiterated the region’s confidence in Mr Afenyo-Markin’s commitment to transparency and insisted that the matter should be subjected to thorough and impartial scrutiny by the appropriate institutions.
He urged state agencies to move swiftly and professionally to examine the allegations and to make findings public to reassure Ghanaians.
The Regional Secretary said: “We address you today not merely as political party officials, but as citizens who believe that truth must be defended, public resources must be accounted for and decent men who dedicate their lives to public service, must not be casually dragged through the mud because they dare to ask difficult questions.”
“We stand today in defence of our national parliamentary leader. The region has produced many distinguished sons and daughters. But today, one of our stands at the Centre of a national storm-not because he has stolen Ghana’s resources, not because he has abandoned his constitutional responsibilities, but because he has demonstrated the courage to ask questions about billions of Ghanaian taxpayers’ resources.
“We say to Mr Afenyo-Markin: You are not alone. The Central Region is watching. The NPP is watching. Ghana is watching. And history is watching,” he said.
Mr Tekyi Mensah said the Minority Leader’s concerns were not driven by personal interest, nor by a desire to judge whether the interpretation of the Goldbod transaction was correct or whether Mr Sammy Gyamfi, the Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Goldbod, supported Mr Afenyo-Markin’s politics.
Rather, the issues raised were about accountability to all Ghanaians, he stated.
He pointed to several professionals who had expressed reservations about the Bank of Ghana’s Domestic Gold Purchase Programme, including Professor Godfred Alufar Bokpin, who publicly highlighted the programme’s losses and described parts of it as having significant “design defects.”
Mr Mensah cited Dr Bokpin’s warning that the economic cost of the gold buying exercise may exceed the US$1.7 billion figure.
He also referred to arguments by Dr Adu Owusu Sarkodie, a Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana’s Department of Economics, statement that the financial burden of the programme should be shared between the Bank of Ghana and GoldBod.
Calling for transparency and accountability, Mr Takyi Mensah demanded to know the whereabouts of the reported GHC22 billion, saying if the US$1.7 billion loss was incorrect, the institutions responsible must publish documents to demonstrate why the figure was wrong.
“But if the figure is correct, then the country must be told how the losses occurred.We want to know who authorised the transactions, who bought the gold and at what price, who sold the gold and at what price, what financing costs were incurred and what valuation losses arose,” he said.
Mr Takyi Mensah acknowledged GoldBod’s position that its audited accounts did not show a GHC22 billion loss and that the entity reported a substantial surplus.
He noted that the Institute for Fiscal Policy Governance likewise indicated Goldbod did not record a GHC22 billion loss and pointed to a reported GHC5.44 billion surplus, saying: “Let the accounts speak.”
“But this is precisely why the matter requires full reconciliation rather than insults. A corporate can report a surplus while a wider government programme in which it participates generates losses elsewhere.
“Therefore, we are not asking GoldBod to manufacture a loss in its accounts but to explain the entire financial architecture of the Domestic Gold Purchase Programme to Ghanaians,” Mr Takyi Mensah demanded.
Bringing the socio-economic impact of the GoldBod losses debate down from the pages of financial reports to the streets, homes and communities, Mr Mensah said the GHC22 billion represented lost opportunities for jobs, hospitals, contractors’ survival, cocoa farmers income, roads, schools, factories, security and youth opportunities.
Touching on the Minority Leader’s accusation as “extortionist,” the party praised the Effutu Legislator as a political figure whose rise from local politics to the national spotlight reflected diligence, resilience and steady leadership.
The Party said Mr Afenyo-Markin’s reputation had been unfairly questioned and therefore pledged full support for any legal steps aimed at clearing his name and restoring public confidence.
The endorsement also framed him as a symbol of the party’s values, while urging unity behind him as he continued to play a leading role in Parliament.
GNA
Edited by Alice Tettey/ Christabel Addo
Reporter: Isaac Arkoh
Email: [email protected]