The Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has announced plans to pursue legal action over what he describes as defamatory statements made against him amid controversy over his claims concerning reported losses under the Bank of Ghana’s Domestic Gold Purchase Programme and GoldBod.
In a statement, Mr Afenyo-Markin said he had been subjected to “all manner of insults and personal attacks” over the past week, which he believes were intended to damage his reputation and divert attention from the substantive questions he has raised.
He described the allegations about his motives as “entirely false” and said he rejected them without qualification.
“On the defamatory statements made against me personally, I intend to pursue the appropriate legal remedies,” he stated.
The Minority Leader said his decision to question the reported losses was part of his responsibility to help Parliament discharge its constitutional oversight mandate.
“My actions have been guided solely by that responsibility. I have neither acted from any improper motive nor conducted myself inappropriately in the performance of my duties,” he said.
‘I remain focused’
Mr Afenyo-Markin said the personal attacks would not distract him from pursuing the issues surrounding the reported losses.
He argued that individuals uncomfortable with legitimate scrutiny could resort to personal attacks, false allegations and ridicule in an attempt to shift public attention from substantive issues.
“I remain focused,” he said.
He disclosed that he would continue working with the Minority Caucus to initiate parliamentary processes for a full inquiry into the reported GH¢22 billion loss arising from trading undertaken by GoldBod and reflected in the books of the Bank of Ghana.
Mr Afenyo-Markin also maintained that the reported loss of approximately US$1.7 billion under the Domestic Gold Purchase Programme in 2025, as reported by the International Monetary Fund, involved public funds and therefore required proper scrutiny.
He said Ghanaians deserved answers on the transactions, including the identities of the off-takers, discounts applied to purchases, who authorised the discounts and the fees earned.
The Minority Leader said the Caucus would continue to publish its questions and sources so that Ghanaians could examine the evidence and form their own conclusions.
He maintained that, while he would pursue the appropriate legal remedies over the alleged defamatory statements, his primary focus remained on “the programme, the decisions taken and the public funds involved.”
