Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, a former Minister of Information, has debunked claims that he said the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), led by Chief Executive Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, made a loss of about $214 million.
According to Oppong Nkrumah, he never stated that the GoldBod made a $214m loss.
He revealed that what he said during the press conference was that Ghana made losses between $214 million and $300 million based on the interaction between the Bank of Ghana and GoldBod.
Oppong Nkrumah further added that those claiming he made such statements are just setting their own questions and answering them.
Speaking during a panel discussion on UTV, Eric Opoku, the Agric Minister, quizzed Kojo Oppong Nkrumah to clarify his remarks.
Eric Opoku stated, “You have said something that has made me happy. You said at your press conference you never said Sammy Gyamfi’s Gold Board has made losses”.
Oppong Nkrumah replied saying, “You can watch the entire video; I was the one who addressed the press conference. We raised four issues, and I have listed them.
“I said that we have made losses between $214 million and $300 million based on the interaction between the Bank of Ghana and GoldBod. And we even brought in a company nobody has heard of – Bawa Rock. This is what we said”.
“Those claiming I made such statements are just setting their own questions and answering them”, he added.
Eric Opoku added, “So at your press conference, you never said GoldBod has made losses, people are just saying it. I agree with you.”
This follows the brouhaha that emerged after the Minority in Parliament, led by Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Member of Parliament for Ofoase Ayirebi, demanded a bipartisan parliamentary probe into BoG-GoldBod $214m loss.
Addressing journalists in Accra on Monday, December 29, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah called for a bipartisan investigation into the operation of Goldbod.
He stated that a parliamentary ad-hoc committee should conduct a bipartisan investigation into all contracts, licenses, intermediaries, and related entities of the Goldbod.
He further noted that Ghana has lost $214 million, heading to $300million under the Bank of Ghana and the Ghana Gold Board and urged the committee to call on the two institutions to disclose their fee structures, pricing formulas, aggregator selection criteria, and foreign exchange arrangements.
Speaking to journalists in Accra, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah stated, “We are demanding the following: a bipartisan parliamentary inquiry into the circumstances under which the Republic of Ghana has lost $214 million, heading to $300million, to be done here by the parliament of Ghana. We are asking for a parliamentary ad hoc investigative committee with the power to subpoena all contracts, licences, intermediaries, including this power rock monopoly.
“Under this bipartisan enquiry, we will be expecting the BoG and the GoldBod to publish the fee structure, the pricing formula, the aggregator selecting criteria and all foreign exchange arrangements that they have tied to this scheme, which has led to this loss.
“…One of the things we will be asking for is the suspension of permits in forest reserves and the introduction of serious measures on traceability because, as at now, we have every reason to believe that state money is being used to buy Galamsey gold…Where negligence or corruption is proven, prosecutions must follow, and all recoverable funds must be given back to the state,” Nkrumah stated.
Watch the video below: