Solomon Owusu and Andrew Appiah-Danquah, two bigwigs of the United Party (UP), have filed a joint petition seeking a criminal investigation into Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin over an alleged $1 million extortion demand.
The two have said the extortion claims against the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, must be investigated as a criminal case.
They argued that the allegations, even if accompanied by a hint of a civil suit from the MP, are far too serious to be left to civil litigation alone.
According to them, the extortion allegations against the Minority Leader are a worrying development that must not be allowed to end without an investigation.
The party has petitioned six state institutions to launch a formal probe into the $1 million claim.
The petition named the Attorney General, Special Prosecutor, Speaker Bagbin, CHRAJ, IGP and the CID.
Parts of the petition read, “This petition arises from exceptionally grave allegations recently made against the Honourable Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, Member of Parliament. Former Majority Leader of the Eighth Parliament and current Minority Leader of Parliament
The allegations concern an alleged attempt by the Honourable Afenyo- Markin, either personally or acting through another person or group of persons, to obtain the sum of one million United States dollars or such other amount as an investigation may establish from Mr Sammy Gyamfi, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board.
On 19 August 2026, Mr Sammy Gyamfi delivered a public statement at the Government Accountability Series in response to allegations made by the Honourable Afenyo-Markin concerning the operations and financial position of the Ghana Gold Board.
In the concluding portion of that statement, Mr Gyamfi alleged, in substance, that persons engaged in a calculated campaign of reputational attacks would employ false allegations to tarnish the reputation of their targets. In the expectation that those targets would succumb to the pressure and submit to what he described as “compulsory arbitration,” through which the persons involved would obtain a financial benefit
Although portions of Mr Gyamfi’s concluding remarks were expressed in the plural, the statement was, in its substance and context, a direct response to the Honourable Afenyo-Markin and repeatedly addressed him personally.
Following that statement, Mr Eric Adjei, Chief Executive Officer of the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme and a publicly known associate of Mr Sammy Gyamfi, made further public allegations against the Honourable Afenyo-Markin.
Mr Adjei alleged, among other things, that the Honourable Afenyo-Markin was engaged in extortionist conduct and had established or was associated with a team that employed requests made under the Right to Information Act to obtain information from public institutions, after which persons connected with that enterprise allegedly assumed the role of “negotiators.”
It has subsequently been alleged, and publicly attributed directly to Mr Sammy Gyamfi, that the Honourable Afenyo-Markin attempted to demand or obtain the sum of one million United States dollars from him.
The cumulative effect of the statements made by Mr Gyamfi and Mr Adiei is the allegation that the monetary demand was connected with actual or threatened reputational attacks, adverse publicity, political pressure, threatened official or parliamentary action, or an offer to discontinue or moderate such conduct in consideration of the payment demanded”.
The UP bigwigs are demanding, “Determine whether the alleged demand was connected with a threat of reputational injury, adverse publication, prosecution, parliamentary action, political pressure or any other act or forbearance;
Determine whether any public office, parliamentary position or institutional authority was employed or threatened as leverage in furtherance of the alleged demand;
Determine whether the evidence discloses attempted extortion, corruption, abuse of public office, conspiracy, abetment or any related offence;
Institute the appropriate criminal, disciplinary, parliamentary, civil recovery or other proceedings if the allegations are substantiated
Communicate an appropriate conclusion if the allegations are not substantiated; and
Take such further lawful action as may be necessary to vindicate constitutional accountability, deter the abuse of public power and preserve public confidence in Ghana’s democratic institutions”
It further added, “We submit this petition in good faith and in the public interest. We do not assert that criminal liability has already been established. We ask only that persons who have made serious and apparently particularised allegations be required to place their evidence before the competent institutions and that the person against whom the allegations have been made be afforded a fair opportunity to answer them.
Silence by the institutions of state in the face of an allegation of this magnitude would create the dangerous impression that political prominence places a person beyond scrutiny. Premature condemnation would be equally unjust. The constitutionally responsible course is a prompt, professional, impartial and independent investigation.
We accordingly request your urgent intervention and a written communication indicating the steps taken in response to this petition. Respectfully submitted”.
The development follows Sammy Gyamfi, who defended his decision to describe Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin as an “extortionist”.
According to Sammy Gyamfi, his comment was made based on underlying issues between him and Afenyo-Markin which are not known to the public.
Sammy Gyamfi on Joy News’ Newsfile programme on Saturday, August 22, 2026, disclosed that he had never used the term against any of his other critics, arguing that his choice of words was based on specific matters involving Afenyo-Markin.
Sammy Gyamfi on Newsfile stated, “You see, my brother, there are many underlying issues between Afenyo-Markin and me that you don’t know, and those watching don’t know. I have appeared on Newsfile too many times. Perhaps in this country I have held more press conferences on political issues than anybody”.
“Have you ever heard me use the word extortion against any of my critics? Have you ever heard me? Why would I use this word now? And why have you not heard Afenyo say anything about that, or challenge me, or threaten to sue? So, the NPP people talking; there are things you don’t know,” he added.
According to Sammy Gyamfi, Afenyo-Markin had not publicly rebutted the allegation because he knows the claim to be true, adding that the absence of a legal challenge or direct response from the Effutu MP was significant.
“I will not just… Me, I’m a consummate democrat. I eat and drink debates. Yes, and that is why he cannot comment on that or even challenge me. He cannot, because he knows that what I said is true. So, there are many things that you may not have the benefit of,” he stated.
“Tell him that you want to be his lawyer so that he sues Sammy Gyamfi to substantiate that claim. Tell him. Or tell him that you will give him an interview here and Sammy Gyamfi will come, and that he should dare Sammy Gyamfi,” he said.
“That is not an insult. I’m speaking about what has happened, and he knows.” Gyamfi concluded.
See the petition below:
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